The Man He Killed

Question 1

The Man He Killed — Context:

Answer 1

• This poem was written at the same time as the South African Boer War of 1899 – 1902.
• When gold and diamonds were discovered in the Boer’s land, Britain desired the area and thus the Boer war ensued.
• Hardy, and his wife Emma, were against the Boer War like many other liberals. To them, the Boers were only defending their land against the English.
• It made him question the purpose of killing others for the sake of war.
• Hardy’s writing often dealt with social class, he writes from the perspective of an ordinary, working class soldier.

Question 2

The Man He Killed — Rhyme:

Answer 2

Alternating ABAB rhyme scheme.

This reflects the division between the two men who would otherwise be connected by their similarities. This represents the artificial opposition thrust upon the two men and governs their relationship during battle.

Question 3

The Man He Killed — Rhythm:

Answer 3

Lines 1,2 and 4 have six syllables, while line 3 has 8. This adds a conversational feel to the poem and reflects how the speaker is verbally recounting his experience to a listener.

Question 4

The Man He Killed — Structure

Answer 4

The poem has a somewhat cyclical structure.

The speaker begins and returns to a more optimistic (though imagined) relationship with the “enemy” soldier,

without conflict affecting how they view and treat each other.

Question 5

The Man He Killed — Form

Answer 5

Dramatic Monologue – one person is peaking through the entire poem.

Because of this, there is no opportunity for the enemy soldier to discuss or reveal their sentiments and motivations.

This demonstrates how “enemies” in conflict always seem to be an unknown entity.