description The Soldier Overview
“The Soldier” is a 1914 sonnet by Rupert Brooke reflecting on death in World War I. It presents an idealized image of a soldier sacrificing himself for England, embodying patriotic fervor prevalent at the war’s outset. The poem gained significant attention for its hopeful tone and contrasting perspective before widespread disillusionment emerged within wartime literature. It remains relevant for those interested in early 20th-century poetry and the initial national response to the conflict.
help The Soldier FAQ
How does Rupert Brooke's 'The Soldier' differ from later World War I poetry?
Brooke's 1914 sonnet expresses idealistic, patriotic devotion to England, standing in sharp contrast to the disillusioned, anti-war verse that poets like Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon would produce from the trenches later in the war. Brooke never experienced sustained front-line combat before his death.
What is the famous opening line of 'The Soldier'?
The poem begins: 'If I should die, think only this of me: / That there's some corner of a foreign field / That is for ever England.' These lines became one of the most quoted expressions of patriotic sacrifice of the era.
Which collection includes Rupert Brooke's 'The Soldier'?
It is the fifth and final sonnet in Brooke's '1914' sequence, a set of five war sonnets written at the outbreak of World War I. The sequence was published in the periodical 'New Numbers' in 1914.
Did Rupert Brooke die in combat during World War I?
No, Brooke died on April 23, 1915, from blood poisoning (sepsis) contracted from an infected mosquito bite, while en route to the Gallipoli campaign. He was buried on the Greek island of Skyros.
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