Rupert Chawner Brooke (3 August 1887 – 23 April 1915) was an English poet known for

his idealistic war sonnets written during the First World War, especially "The Soldier". He was also known for
his boyish good looks, which were said to have prompted the Irish poet W. B. Yeats to describe him as "the
handsomest young man in England".

If I should die, think only this of me:

That there’s some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam;
A body of England’s, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,

A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

Dacă ar trebui să mor, gândește-te numai la mine:

Că există un colț al unui câmp străin

Aceasta este pentru totdeauna Anglia. Va exista

În acel pământ bogat s-a ascuns un praf mai bogat;

Un praf pe care Anglia îl purta, îl contura, îl conștientiza

A dat, odată, florile ei de a iubi, modalitățile ei de a rătăci;

Un corp al Angliei care respiră aer englezesc,

Spălată de râuri, blestată de soarele de acasă.

Și gândiți-vă, această inimă, tot răul a vărsat,

Un puls în mintea eternă, nu mai puțin

Dă undeva gândurile date de Anglia;

Privirile și sunetele ei; visează fericit ca ziua ei;

Și râs, învățat de prieteni; și blândețe,

În inimile în pace, sub un cer englezesc.

Summary

1. If I die in the war, I want to be remembered in a particular way.

2. Think of how the far-off land on which I die will have a small piece of England forever.

3. That earth will be enriched by my dead body, because my body is made from dirt born in
England. England created me and gave me consciousness, gave me her blooming plants to fall in love
with, and gave me my sense of freedom.

4. My body belongs to England, has always breathed English air.

5. England's rivers cleansed me, and I was blessed by England's sun.

6. Also consider the way in which my soul, through death, will be made pure.

7. My consciousness will return to the immortal consciousness like a beating pulse, and return the beautiful
thoughts that England gave me.

8. I'll return the sights and sounds of my home country; to the beautiful dreams that were as happy as
England's daytime; and to the laughter shared with English friends.

9. And I'll return England's gentleness, which lives in the English minds that are at peace under the English
sky (the English heaven where I will be at peace too when I die).

Theme

War, Patriotism, and Nationhood

“The Soldier” explores the bond between a patriotic British soldier and his homeland. Through this soldier’s
passionate discussilationshon of his reip to England, the poem implies that people are formed by their home
environment and culture, and that their country is something worth defending with their life. Indeed, the soldier
sees himself as owing his own identity and happiness to England—and accordingly is willing to sacrifice his life
for the greater good of his nation. This is, then, a deeply patriotic poem, implicitly arguing that nations have
their own specific character and values—and that England’s are especially worthy of praise.

Stylistic devices

Metaphor- *this heart, all evil shed away* reflects on war giving the soldier salvation.

*a pulse in the eternal mind, no less*- gives the idea of the soldier being forever remembered by his
country.

Personification- * England bore, shaped, made aware, Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to
roam; A body of England’s, breathing English air,…* England is being compared to a person. The
personification *England seems to have gave life, shaped, thaught and loved the soldier* representing
Englandas the position of a mother, because the solider is very protective and appreciative towards the country,
as a son would be to his mother.