The Man He Killed; By Thomas Hardy by Thomas Hardy — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

The Man He Killed; By Thomas Hardy "Had he and I but met By some old ancient inn, We should have sat us down to wet Right many a nipperkin! "But ranged as infantry, And staring face to face, I shot at him as he at me, And killed him in his place. "I shot him dead because-- Because he was my foe, Just so: my foe of course he was; That's clear enough; although "He thought he'd 'list, perhaps, Off-hand like--just as I-- Was out of work--had sold his traps-- No other reason why. "Yes; quaint and curious war is! You shoot a fellow down You'd treat if met where any bar is, Or help to half-a-crown."

Translation (English)

If he and I had met At some old inn, We would have sat down to have a drink Many a small drink! But as soldiers, Facing each other, I shot at him as he shot at me, And killed him there. I shot him dead because— Because he was my enemy, Just so: he was my enemy; That's clear enough; although He thought he'd enlist, maybe, Casually—just like me— Was out of work—had sold his stuff— No other reason why. Yes; war is strange and odd! You shoot a man down You'd treat if met at a bar, Or help with a bit of money.

About the Poet

Thomas Hardy (Victorian)

Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) was an English novelist and poet known for his critical view of Victorian society. He wrote novels like 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' and 'Jude the Obscure'. Hardy's poetry, influenced by Romanticism, gained acclaim posthumously.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Dramatic monologue
When Written: 1902
Background: Thomas Hardy wrote 'The Man He Killed' to express his feelings about the senselessness of war, particularly reflecting on the Boer Wars. The poem highlights the irony and tragedy of killing a man who could have been a friend in different circumstances.

Sources: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44329/the-man-he-killed, https://poets.org/poem/man-he-killed, https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/thomas-hardy/the-man-he-killed, https://poemanalysis.com/thomas-hardy/the-man-he-killed/

Detailed Explanation

Thomas Hardy's poem 'The Man He Killed' explores the absurdity and irony of war. The speaker reflects on how, under different circumstances, he might have shared a drink with the man he killed in battle. The poem highlights the randomness of war, where individuals who might have been friends are forced into enmity by circumstances beyond their control. The speaker's justification for killing—simply because the other was labeled a 'foe'—underscores the senselessness of war. Hardy uses a conversational tone and simple language to convey the deep moral conflict and the tragic nature of war, where societal labels dictate actions that contradict personal inclinations. The poem is a critique of the impersonal nature of war and the arbitrary reasons for which men are driven to kill each other.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
nipperkin	small drink	a small drink	nip-er-kin
foe	enemy	someone who is against you	foh
quaint	strange	strange or old-fashioned	kweynt
curious	odd	odd or strange	kyoo-ree-uhs
traps	belongings	personal possessions	traaps
inn	tavern	a place where travelers can stay and eat	in
infantry	foot soldiers	soldiers who fight on foot	in-fan-tree
half-a-crown	small amount of money	a British coin worth two shillings and sixpence	haf-uh-kroun

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