N. P. Erkin Ms. Miller

N. P. Erkin Ms. Miller Language Arts 9 11 October 2013

Not One's Enemy: Theme in "The Man He Killed" By Thomas Hardy In the poem "The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy, a poem where an unnamed narrator describes his feelings about shooting a soldier in battle, the theme is war can cause people to kill others who are not so different from themselves. The first piece of evidence that proves this theme is that although the narrator calls the man he killed his "foe" (Hardy 10), the narrator also says that "Had he and I but met / By some old ancient inn, / We should have sat us down to wet / Right many a nipperkin!" (Hardy 1-4). One usually shares a drink with friends, not one's enemy. The reader can assume from this line, therefore, that the narrator considers this opposing soldier to be not so different from himself--a potential friend, not merely a bloodthirsty enemy. The narrator only killed this man because they were on opposing sides. Later in the poem, the narrator starts to question why the man he killed joined infantry. He thinks perhaps the man "thought he'd `list perhaps, / Off hand-like--just as I" (Hardy 13-14). In these lines the narrator draws a clear parallel between the man and himself by imagining the dead man's motives were the same as his own: it was a way to make money and survive. This comparison clearly shows that the narrator thinks the man is not so different from himself, proving the theme. To end the poem, the narrator states, "Yes; quaint and curious war is! / You shoot a fellow down / You'd [...] help to half-a-crown " (Hardy 17-20). This quote clearly proves the theme because the speaker says would lend this other man money, a sure sign that he empathizes with the other man's situation. However, because this war has made these two similar men mortal enemies, the narrator killed this person with whom he sympathized. Given these points--the narrator would by this man a drink, he imagines his foe in his own financial situation, and he would probably lend this man money if they had met under different circumstances--the poem clearly indicates that, in a war, people will kill others who are not so different from themselves.

N. P. Erkin Ms. Miller Language Arts 9 11 October 2013

Not One's Enemy: Theme in "The Man He Killed" By Thomas Hardy In the poem "The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy, a poem where an unnamed narrator describes his feelings about shooting a soldier in battle, the theme is war can cause people to kill others who are not so different from themselves. The first piece of evidence that proves this theme is that although the narrator calls the man he killed his "foe" (Hardy 10), the narrator also says that "Had he and I but met / By some old ancient inn, / We should have sat us down to wet / Right many a nipperkin!" (Hardy 1-4). One usually shares a drink with friends, not one's enemy. The reader can assume from this line, therefore, that the narrator considers this opposing soldier to be not so different from himself--a potential friend, not merely a bloodthirsty enemy. The narrator only killed this man because they were on opposing sides. Later in the poem, the narrator starts to question why the man he killed joined infantry. He thinks perhaps the man "thought he'd `list perhaps, / Off hand-like--just as I" (Hardy 13-14). In these lines the narrator draws a clear parallel between the man and himself by imagining the dead man's motives were the same as his own: it was a way to make money and survive. This comparison clearly shows that the narrator thinks the man is not so different from himself, proving the theme. To end the poem, the narrator states, "Yes; quaint and curious war is! / You shoot a fellow down / You'd [...] help to half-a-crown " (Hardy 17-20). This quote clearly proves the theme because the speaker says would lend this other man money, a sure sign that he empathizes with the other man's situation. However, because this war has made these two similar men mortal enemies, the narrator killed this person with whom he sympathized. Given these points--the narrator would by this man a drink, he imagines his foe in his own financial situation, and he would probably lend this man money if they had met under different circumstances--the poem clearly indicates that, in a war, people will kill others who are not so different from themselves.

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