Margaret Atwood's The Loneliness Of The Military Historian

Through Margaret Atwood’s poem The Loneliness of the Military Historian we learn that speaker includes herself within her opinion of how the world view the people of the military. She continues throughout to express her understanding of how the soldiers are viewed. “ Confess: it’s my profession/ that alarms you” (Atwood, 1-2), here the speaker understands that her profession is the reason she is not called upon, “this is why few people ask me to dinner/ though Lord knows I don’t go out of my way to be scary” (Atwood, 3-4). Admittedly it is common for soldiers to appear intimidating and unapproachable. Their strict, firm demeanor elicits a punitive ambiance about them, sometimes keeping people at a distance. But, through the poem we learn …show more content…
Atwood does a stunning job at allowing the poem to express her opinions. Because of the title and the poem itself the reader understands the hardships that soldiers face on a daily basis. Atwood delivers powerful imagery that displays to the reader just how extreme the conditions are for soldiers at war. . Because of the chosen title for the poem, the reader understands that Atwood’s opinion on the soldiers of the military is that they are lonely. Her poem gives a certain understanding to the reader that soldiers don’t wish to be perceived this way, but that war changes people. Although I feel that the title chosen for the poem fits it wonderfully, there are many different options may have fitted the work just as well, and may have allowed it to appeal to other readers. If I were to change the title I would want it to be more understanding of Atwood’s goal; to show how a soldier feels in normal society. Something along the lines of “ A Soldier’s Understanding,” may attract a different reader. This type of title may give the new reader an understanding that, this is how a soldier appears to society, but he doesn’t wish to …show more content…
Each time she speaks to the reader it is with understanding that she understands why “you” may feel this way, “I am just as human as you”. (Atwood, 101) It appears that Atwood gives the reader, “you” certain attributes. She gives them a type of sexist view when she says, “In general I might agree with you/ Women should not contemplate war.” (Atwood, 15-16) It is common for some people to believe that war is not a place for women, and that it is against society’s norms for women to even consider war. This idea is shown in multiple places throughout the poem, including the first lines, “Confess: Its my profession/ That alarms you.” (Atwood, 1-2) Here it is apparent that her profession would alarm the reader because she is a women actively serving in the military, and therefore serving in war. I believe that Atwood’s poem more so employs gender stereotypes than subverts them. With the characteristics she gives to the audience of having a sexist opinion on who war is meant for, she makes it clear that she is aware of society’s ideas of women participating in