Literature

The Man he Killed

In the poem "The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy a man exposes the senselessness of war. He who has killed an enemy soldier in battle and feels confused. He says if they had met in an inn they would of shared many drinks. But since they met at war and shot at each other and he ended killing the other man. With all this he tries to justify the killing but finds no stronger reason.

By the way he speaks he reveals himself as the one that has killed. I could tell he's a person that likes to drink in a bar. He seems as a man who prefers friendship to violence. It seems like if has a conversation with someone as I read the poem. He thinks a lot of how similar they both are. Concluding that war is "quaint and curious" because it forces death between men.

The poem makes clear that the two men were so alike that they could have been brothers or even twins. This poem is a strong disapproval against war. He tries to give a reason for killing the other man. But he could only say "Because he was my foe/ Just so: my foe of course he was; / That's clear enough." With this he shows that he isn't able to explain things to himself or anyone else.

The speaker is not able to express deep feelings. He is very confused, because he is someone that wants only to live and let live. He wants to enjoy a drink in the bar with friends. But he feels that everyone is victimized by war. To him they're all victims those who kill and those who are killed at war that is.

This poem is a very powerful argument for peace. It contrasts the circumstances of warfare with peace. It disapproves war because it shows that the person talks about friendship and helpfulness. He doesn't express they way he should if he wasn't so confused, because of what he just went through. But because of his