Poem 4 : After Blenheim

(Children kindly make a note of the abbreviations that I have used in the answers eg: Battle of Blenheim
–BoB

This is purely because we have limited space in our workbooks and also because it is time consuming
when you are copying it down and in my case typing it out. Remember you are not to use these
abbreviations in the tests/examination. )

Extract 1 : It was a…………………………………………Wilhelmine.

a) The anti- war poem “After Blenheim has been written in the form of a ballad by the English poet
Robert Southey.
b) Old Kaspar and his grandchildren were outside their house. As his days work was over he was
relaxed. The children were playing. The evening was pleasant and relaxed until little Peterkin
unearthed a large, round and smooth object.
c) When Peterkin took the object to his grandfather to ask him what it was old Kaspar sighed and
said that it was skull of some poor fellow who had been killed in the Battle of Blenheim(BoB)
Their conversation that evening revolved around the BoB alone.
d) Old Kaspar is a representation of the ignorance/mindset of any common man which causes him
to accept whatever he is told by his superiors. In this poem he appears to have accepted that
the war had been great however, its causes remained unknown to him. He seems to mirror the
emotions of the leaders.
e) Blenheim was a small village on the banks of the Danube river in Southern Germany. A great and
destructive battle was fought there in 1704. The loss of countless lives and innumerable
properties caused the country to fall back considerably. THe BoB could have easily been avoided
had it not been for the interference of the British.

Extract 2 : She saw her………………………………………… and round.

a) Old Kaspar was sitting outside his house watching his grandchildren at play. The little girl
Wilhelmine saw her brother roll a large object which he had found beside the rivulet towards
the house. The object had roused their curiosity and he wanted his grandfather to identify the
object.
b) ‘She’ is Wilhelmine i.e old Kaspar’s granddaughter. She plays the role of an active listener in the
poem.
c) Peterkin brought home a large, round and smooth object which he had found beside the rivulet.
Having never seen such an object before he was curious to know more about it from his
grandfather.
d) Peterkin had never seen it before and the curiosity made him bring it to his grandfather in order
to gain more information about it.
e) Old Kaspar took the object from the little boy, looked and it and sighed. He then told the child
that it was the skill of some poor fellow who had lost his life in the BoB.
 f) It can be clearly noted that old Kaspar is just a representation of the ordinary man who has faith
in his ruler’s beliefs. He accepts everything that the ruler says without thinking even if he feels
that it isn’t right.

Extract 3 : Old Kaspar………………………………………… great victory.

a) The boy in question is old Kaspar’s grandson, Peterkin. Old Kaspar took the large, round and
smooth object that Peterkin had found beside the rivulet.
b) Having never seen such an object before Peterkin was extremely curious to know what it was
and hence he stood expectantly beside his grandfather.
c) Old Kaspar took the object from his grandson and sighed. The sigh emphasized the fact that he
had identified the object and that it wasn’t a happy memory.
d) The BoB was a great victory where the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy were
hailed as great war heroes.
e) I do not think it is a great victory because victory is in saving the lives of innocent victims. No
victory supports or justifies the death of so many soldiers. A lot of families pay a heavy price in
order to gain this victory. Wars represent the worst form of human behavior because they
highlight man’s inhumanity to another human being how then can it be termed as a great
victory?

Extract 4 : I find………………………………………… great victory.

a) Old Kaspar is narrating the details of the BoB to his grandchildren. He informs Peterkin that he
keeps unearthing more and more such ‘heads’ when he ploughs his field.
b) ‘I’ refers to the protagonist Kaspar who is a farmer.
c) The ploughshare turns out many skulls which probably means that the bodies were not buried
deep or had probably not been buried at all. A ploughshare just loosens up the upper crust of
the soil and yet it unearths so many such skulls.
d) Reference is to the great victory is the victory that the English achieved against the French in the
BoB.
e) (To be written after explanation)

Extract 5 : Now tell………………………………………… each other for.

a) Young Peterkin was curious to know more about the war and the victory so he requests his
grandfather to narrate the events of the war to him.
b) The request is granted as old Kaspar tells them all that he knows about the said battle.
c) Reference is to the BoB in which the English and the Austrians defeated the French.
d) (To be written after explanation)
 e) At the onset it may appear that the poem glorifies wars however it really is an anti-war poem
that indirectly projects an anti-war stance. The repetition of the famous victory in spite of the
huge destruction of life and property actually highlights the poets disapproval of war and Kaspar
is just a representative of the ordinary man and his acceptance of the beliefs and perspectives of
his leaders.

Extract 6 : My father………………………………………… his head.

a) Here Kaspar narrates how his family had been affected by the BoB. Kaspar’s father was forced to
flee the place with his wife and child as their house had been completely burnt down. They were
left without a home and source of living because of the BoB.
b) Kaspar’s fathe-r lived in Blenheim. Blenheim a small village on the banks of the river Danube in
southern Germany is known for the great battle of Blenheim that was fought many years ago
between the English and the French.
c) A violent battle was being fought between the English and the French in a tiny village called
Blenheim in Southern Germany. During the war a lot of houses were razed to the ground, one
such house belonged to Kaspar’s father.
d) A fierce battle was being fought between the English and the French. The English and the
Austrians defeated the French however there was massive destruction of life , resources and
properties.
e) Same as answer 5(e).