The Anti-War Poem After Bleinheim -Summary, Analysis

 

                The poem After Bleinheim.

                                       

It was a summer evening,

Old Kaspar’s work was done,

And he before his cottage door

Was sitting in the sun,

And by him sported on the green

His little grandchild Wilhelmine.

 

She saw her brother Peterkin

Roll something large and round,

Which he beside the rivulet

In playing there had found;

 

Old Kaspar took it form the boy,

Who stood expectant by;

And then the old man shook his head,

And, with a natural sigh,

“Tis some poor, fellow’s skull,” said he,

“Who fell in the great victory.

 

“I find them in the garden,

For there’s many here about;

And often when I go to plough,

The ploughshare turns them out!

For many thousand men,” said he,

“Were slain in that great victory.”

 

“Now tell us what ‘was all about,”

Young Peterkin, he cries;

And little Wilhelmine looks up

With wonder-waiting eyes;

“Now tell us all about the war,

And what they fought each other for.”

 

“It was the English, “ Kaspar cried,

“Who put the French to rout;

But everybody said,” quoth he,

“That it was a famous victory.

 

“My father lived at Blenheim then,

Yon little stream hard by;

They burnt his dwelling to the ground,

And he was forced to fly;

So with his wife and child he fled,

Nor had he where to rest his head.

 

“With fire and sword the country round

Was wasted far and wide,

And many a childing mother then,

And new-born baby died;

But things like that, you know, must be

At every famous victory.

 

“They say it was a shocking sght

After the field was won;

For many thousand bodies here

Lay rotting in the sun;

But things like that, you know, must be

After a famous victory.

“Great praise the Duke of Marbbro ’won,

And our good Prince Eugene.

“Why, ‘twas a very wicked thing!”

Said little Wilhelmine.

“Nay…nay…my little girl,” quoth he,

“It was a famous victory.

 

“And everybody praise the Duke

Who this great fight did win.”

“But what good came of it at last?”

Quoth little Peterkin.

“Why that I cannot tell,” said he,

“But “ it was a famous victory.”

 The Anti-War Poem After Bleinheim -Summary, Analysis

What is the theme of the poem After Blenheim?

           In the poem “After Blenheim” Robert Southey presented Anti-war attitude through a simple account of a battle that easily related to a simple fact.

               The poem begins with the common view of humanity, means to say- an old woman was siting in front of his cottage after his days work. His grandson found a skull of a dead soldier while playing upon the green field and then his grandson asked him about it and the poem continues through thus.

What is the setting of the poem After Bleinheim?

     The poem “After Bleinheim”Gives a simple account of the Battle, fought on Blenheim between Lowixiv. King. f Freance, and Alied force of England and Austria.

               Blenheinm is a humble village of Austria on the bank of the river Danube; The battle held on the bank of this river and the battle  ended with the awful death of a large number of soldiers of both torees.

Historical background of the poem After Blenheim?

      Robert Southey’s Ballad “After Blenheim” is also called The Battle of Blenheim, Because of its historical Background. This battle fought on Blenheim an 13 , August 1704. Between Loui xiv, King of France and Allied force of England and and Austria. 

               The poem does not directly describe the battle, but through the talk between an old farmer Kapar and his grandson but also revels the awful result.

               The battle was fought near the village of Blenheim in Baveria, on the left bank of the river Dnube. The French and Bavarians were taken by in the village and their armies were badly. Handled On the opposite Side. Marlborough and prince Eugene showed themselves splendid. Thus a large number of soldiers from both of Marlborough.

What is the summary of the poem After Blenheim?

          The poem opens with a simple account of humanity. An old farmer was  relaxing on one summer evening , after his day’s work, in front of his collage. While his granddaughter was playing an the open field that was close to him.

           While playing, his grandson found one large round thing and then and asked him about it. After sighting it he explained that that was the skill of a poor soldier who fell in that war and also told that, in course of digging the earth and ploughing he also found many skulls, as a large number of soldier died in that war.              

         And then his grandson forced him to tell about the war as he was eager to know about that war. Then the old Kaspar was unable to tell the cause of the war but he could only told that it was a fight between English and French. He also told that his father who lived at Blenheim and their house and Land were put on fire and whole family had to free away without any shelter. The battle ended with countless dead body scattered all over the field.

After Bleinhein as an anti-war poem .

    In an anti war poem the poet always stands against the war and he shows the anti-war attitude throughout the poem . He also presents the the futile picture of war to give a strong message to the reader that no good comes from war .

    The poem After Bleinhein , opens with a simple account of humanity. An old farmer was relaxing on one summer evening, after his days work. In front of his cottage. While his granddaughter was playing on the open field that was close to him.

           While playing, his grandson found one large round thing and then his grandson brought it to him and asked him about it. After sighting it he explained that it was the skull of a poor soldier who fell in that war and also told that, in course of digging the earth and ploughing he also found many skull, as a large number of soldier died in that war.

     Thus the old Kaspair  gave the description of war and when his grandson asked him about the cause of the war , then he said nothing about it but rather than he told that  war brings destruction to our life , nothing can be solved by war . Empower people of a nation sets in war to glorify their nation but it ends with the death of  thousands soldiers  , thus the poem can be rectified as anti war poem .

what is the message of the poem After Blenheim  ?

    The poem After Bleinheim  is written by Robert Southy who actually presents the poem as an anti - war poem through a simple account of  human life .

                The poem begins with the common view of humanity, means to say- an old man was sitting in front of his cottage after his days work his grandson found a skull of a dead soldier while playing upon the green field and then his grandson asked him about it and the poem continues through thus. Then  he gave  the description of the great battle that was fought in that very place .But after when his grandson asked him about the reason of the war , then he was unable to give it  , rather than he consoled his grandson by saying that -war never brings peace to us .

        So by the poem strongly states that war brings only destruction for a nation where thousands of soldiers becomes the victim  of war  .