Alan Seeger's Inevitability Of War

The website www.firstworldwar.com is a source that provides a general overview of the events prior to, during, and after WWI. The website is ran by Michael Duffy, and edited by contributors in their spare time. Thus, this website is not deemed credible as an academic source. With the intention of educating others on WWI, it includes first hand accounts of the events experienced by poet-soldiers during the war, such as Alan Seeger’s ironic account of his “rendezvous” with death in I Have a Rendezvous with Death. In Seeger’s account of his experience during World War One, he is primarily describing his attitude towards war. He alludes to the inevitability of Death due to the treacherous nature of war. A rendezvous, it is to be noted, is not …show more content…
He makes it clear that he knows he will meet his fate, but finds joy in it happening during the beautiful springtime. He attaches a certain joy and honor to the idea of death by describing it as a soft, compassionate, personal friend (“It may be he shall take my hand / and lead me into his dark land”), makes it seem less daunting. It is more interesting that Seeger never mentions anything about religion. Most people speak of death hand in hand with a higher power, or they describe the experience of how they foresee themselves meeting their maker. Seeger simply states, "I to my pledged word am true, I shall not fail that rendezvous." Thus giving light to the idea that he is content with the fact that he knows he is going to die, and after doing outside research – he does actually meet his death as he …show more content…
He mentions he would prefer to die during his sleep, or perhaps surrounded by love. This is compelling because although he is content with the fact that he knows death will be at his footsteps one day – he wants to have a silent death. But spring, which is the poets season of rebirth. This indicates that the poet does not consider death to be the ending of his life. He looks at it as the beginning of another meaningful phase of life-giving springtime presence that involves faith and a more peaceful sleep. The only thing Seeger seems to care about is death. He does not discuss anything about the fight itself, what he is fighting for, who he is fighting for, or even if he chose the fight for himself. Did the fight choose him? Or was he chosen for the fight? The only thing Seeger seems to take interest in is the idea that he will die period, not gloriously or for any specific reason. Seeger describes his path to death when he states, “It may be he shall take my hand and lead me into his dark land”. The male figure he alludes to is the grim reaper. I Have a Rendezvous with Death is a poem of beauty and love, his love of life being