Over fifty million casualties in thirty countries, lasting six long, treacherous years--these figures alone can hardly convey the gruesomeness of World War II. World War II brought a global chaos that had never been experienced before. Moreover, the war had a massive effect on the psychological state of soldiers in the postwar world. Soldiers struggled to conform to society as they were plagued by the traumatic memories of combat. In an attempt to ease this pain brought on by the war, post-war veterans resorting to repression. In Rachel Galvin's “After the War”, the poet illustrates a worn-torn soldier who, in an effort to forget all the grief he experienced during the war, loses himself and his meaning. To highlight the soldier’s desire to
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The poem begins with the soldier “ [rifling] through/ the cabinets, drawers, and cupboards” (line 1 and 2) of a farmhouse he and his comrades encounter amid war. On its surface, the phrase “ rifled through” suggests that soldiers are pillaging a farmhouse, in what can be inferred as enemy territory. However, when delving beneath the surface of the phrase, ironic wordplay can be seen. The underlying meaning of “ rifled through” suggests that the soldier, along with his fellow troopers, gunned down the individuals inhabiting the farmhouse. By creating a double meaning within the phrase, Galvin alludes to the acts of brutality done by the soldier during the war. In turn, the allusion acts as a piece of evidence that further encourages the soldier to forget his memories of the war, as he is ashamed of his malevolent deeds. Further, into the poem, Galvin mentions the soldier’s communication with …show more content…
Given the context of the poem, however, the stanza has a much more grim connotation. The idea of the soldier “shooting woman” is ironic given the soldier’s violent history; here, Galvin implies that he murdered many women during the war (11). Once more, Galvin emphasizes the soldier's ominous past to provide a reason as to why the soldier seeks the suppress memories from the war. Furthermore, the poet implements irony when discussing an activity the soldier pursued after the war that is assumed to have made him happy. This juxtaposition of images shows that even in his leisure the soldier is tormented by the heinous actions of his past.
Galvin also employs repetition throughout the poem to insinuate the soldier’s remorse for the wrongdoings he committed during the war. The phrase “and his buddies did too” is repeated all through the poem, specifically at beginning and middle of successive sentences. In the first stanza, the soldier and his squadron plunder what they believe to be an abandoned farmhouse:
When he got to the farmhouse, he rifled
The poem begins with the soldier “ [rifling] through/ the cabinets, drawers, and cupboards” (line 1 and 2) of a farmhouse he and his comrades encounter amid war. On its surface, the phrase “ rifled through” suggests that soldiers are pillaging a farmhouse, in what can be inferred as enemy territory. However, when delving beneath the surface of the phrase, ironic wordplay can be seen. The underlying meaning of “ rifled through” suggests that the soldier, along with his fellow troopers, gunned down the individuals inhabiting the farmhouse. By creating a double meaning within the phrase, Galvin alludes to the acts of brutality done by the soldier during the war. In turn, the allusion acts as a piece of evidence that further encourages the soldier to forget his memories of the war, as he is ashamed of his malevolent deeds. Further, into the poem, Galvin mentions the soldier’s communication with …show more content…
Given the context of the poem, however, the stanza has a much more grim connotation. The idea of the soldier “shooting woman” is ironic given the soldier’s violent history; here, Galvin implies that he murdered many women during the war (11). Once more, Galvin emphasizes the soldier's ominous past to provide a reason as to why the soldier seeks the suppress memories from the war. Furthermore, the poet implements irony when discussing an activity the soldier pursued after the war that is assumed to have made him happy. This juxtaposition of images shows that even in his leisure the soldier is tormented by the heinous actions of his past.
Galvin also employs repetition throughout the poem to insinuate the soldier’s remorse for the wrongdoings he committed during the war. The phrase “and his buddies did too” is repeated all through the poem, specifically at beginning and middle of successive sentences. In the first stanza, the soldier and his squadron plunder what they believe to be an abandoned farmhouse:
When he got to the farmhouse, he rifled