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The Man He Killed Thomas Hardy. Neither the soldier nor the reader ever find out the name of this man. The Man He Killed ‘Had he and I but met By some old ancient inn, We should have sat us down to wet Right many a nipperkin!. Speech marks indicate someone telling a story.
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Neither the soldier nor the reader ever find out the name of this man. The Man He Killed ‘Had he and I but met By some old ancient inn, We should have sat us down to wet Right many a nipperkin! Speech marks indicate someone telling a story. Use of first person reinforces it is a personal account. Use of first person plural implies friendship, spending time drinking together. A small measure of spirits. Colloquial language also implies informal banter and friendship.
Soldier’s viewpoint now, organised and ready for war... ‘But ranged as infantry And staring face to face, I shot at him as he at me, And killed him in his place. Contrast with image from previous image of looking at each other across a table in a pub. Both trying to kill each other – no choice.
‘I shot him dead because – Because he was my foe, Just so: my foe of course he was; That’s clear enough; although Rhythm breaks and dash signifies hesitation. Cannot really explain reasons why. Repetition suggests he is trying to persuade himself that this was a good enough reason. Sounds like his superior’s language rather than his own? Enjambment emphasises his confusion.
‘He thought he’d ‘list, perhaps, Off-hand like – just as I – Was out of work – had sold his traps – No other reason why. Enlist = to join the army. Colloquial language, traps = belongings. Dashes imply thoughts or memories quickly returning to him.
‘Yes quaint and curious war is! You shoot a fellow down You’d treat if met where any bar is, Or help to half a crown.’ Quaint = pleasing in an odd or old fashioned way. Curious = rather strange Both words totally inadequate expression of the horror of war. Friend, fellow man = we are all human and part of the same world if not the same country Buy a drink. Roughly £5 today.