Untitled (‘All the hills…) - C. H. Sorley

Form:

4 stanzas of 8 lines each. Last four lines suggest a marching rhythm of left right left ect !

Language:

-Pessimistic and cynical towards war countering patriotism

-Religious connotations to suggest betrayal

-Personification of earth as mother

-Repetition: mocks the idea that we are fighting for liberty

Structure:

-Full stops often used as a tool of bluntness – the suddenness of death or the repetitive marching .

-Monosyllabic “so be merry so be dead” – inevitability of death

Tone:

-Cynical towards war

-Slight patriotism but accepts the realities of war , understands there will be death ?

- Happy to die for country

Reader response:

-WW1 veteran : bitter ? portrays early life in 1914

-Modern : sympathy

Links :

- Exposure – bitter feelings ?

- Base details

-Untitled “millions of…”