Antarctica – Exam 2023 – page 28

1. A What do you think is the most important message in this poem?

explain your answer with reference to the poem.

This poem captures the heroic story of Lawrence Oates, who sacrificed his life to try and save the
lives if his fellow explorers. The speaker quotes Lawrence Oates, saying that he is going out side
and may be a while. Oates leaves the other reading in the tend and forces himself to climb out
into the snowstorm, knowing it will mean his death. “ I am just outside and maybe some time.
In fact, he is going outside forever. He is a lone person trying to speed up the return of his
companions. He is just going outside and maybe sometime, a ridiculous act that really has great
heroism at its heart.

2. What impression do you get from the place in which this poem is set.
South pole in 1911 the morning of 15 or 16 March 1912. Half of this poem. This evocative image
of a quiet tent of explores who know what Oates is doing and simply nod, is gut-wrenching. He
leaves them behind. ‘Goading his ghost into the howling snow’.