Concetti Chiave
- The poem "Vergissmeinnicht" by Keith Douglas reflects on the complex emotions of a soldier who has killed an enemy, revealing the human side of warfare.
- Written in 1943, the poem consists of 24 lines grouped into 6 quatrains, each with an irregular length and alignment.
- The rhyme scheme is irregular, following the pattern abba – cdcd – eeff – ghgh – ijij – klkl, with notable consonances and repetitions.
- The poem lacks similes, metaphors, and personification but uses repetition to emphasize key themes and emotions.
- This work is appreciated for its emotional depth and impactful portrayal of the duality of a soldier's experience as both a killer and a human.
Douglas, Keith - Vergissmeinnicht
Three weeks gone and the combatants gone A
returning over the nightmare ground B
we found the place again, and found B
The soldier sprawling in the sun. A
The frowning barrel of his gun C
overshadowing. As we came on D
that day, he hit my tank with one C
like the entry of a demon. D
Look. Here in the gunpit spoil E
the dishonoured picture of his girl E
who has put: Steffi. Vergissmeinnicht. F
in a copybook gothic script. F
We see him almost with content, G
abased, and seeming to have paid H
and mocked at by his own equipment G
that’s hard and good when he’s decayed. H
But she would weep to see today I
how on his skin the swart flies move; J
the dust upon the paper eye I
and the burst stomach like a cave. J
For here the lover and killer are mingled K
who had one body and one heart. L
And death who had the soldier singled K
Has done the lover mortal hurt. L
This poem, written in 1943 by Keith Douglas, is about the feelings of a soldier who killed a man.
In fact, at first the soldier is satisfied because he killed an enemy but then he understands he killed a man.The poem is made up by 24 lines which are grouped into 6 stanzas. Each stanza has 4 lines that have an irregular length and are all aligned. Lines 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21 and 23 begin with a capital letter.
There is an irregular rhyme scheme (abba – cdcd – eeff – ghgh – ijij – klkl) and there are 2 consonances (ground – found, lines 2-3; lover – killer, line 21). There are many run-on-lines (lines 1-2-3-5-6-7-9-10-11-13-14-15-17-19-21-23) and some end-stopped lines like lines 4-8-12-16-18-20-22-24.
There are no similes, metaphors and personification but there are four repetitions (line 1 “gone”, line 3 “found”, lines 21-24 “lover” and line 22 “one”).
I really enjoy this poem because is so touching and because it’s very deep and impressive.
Domande da interrogazione
- Qual è il tema principale del poema "Vergissmeinnicht" di Keith Douglas?
- Come è strutturato il poema in termini di rime e lunghezza delle strofe?
- Quali elementi stilistici utilizza Keith Douglas nel poema?
Il tema principale del poema è il conflitto interiore di un soldato che, dopo aver ucciso un nemico, realizza di aver tolto la vita a un uomo, esplorando così la dualità tra il ruolo di amante e quello di assassino.
Il poema è composto da 24 versi raggruppati in 6 strofe di 4 versi ciascuna, con una lunghezza irregolare. Presenta uno schema di rime irregolare (abba – cdcd – eeff – ghgh – ijij – klkl) e include consonanze e linee spezzate.
Keith Douglas utilizza ripetizioni, consonanze e linee spezzate. Non ci sono similitudini, metafore o personificazioni, ma il poema è caratterizzato da un linguaggio toccante e profondo.
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