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    Analysis

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    arianaduenas
    This document provides an analysis of a poem about the evolution of human cruelty over time. The analysis discusses five ways that humans have killed each other throughout history, as depicted in the poem's stanzas. It describes the crucifixion of Jesus, warfare during the War of the Roses, gas attacks in WWI, bombings in WWII, and modern assassinations. The document argues that the poem shows how humans have become more efficient yet also more emotionally detached killers over the centuries.

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    Analysis

    Uploaded by

    arianaduenas
    20 views1 page
    This document provides an analysis of a poem about the evolution of human cruelty over time. The analysis discusses five ways that humans have killed each other throughout history, as depicted in the poem's stanzas. It describes the crucifixion of Jesus, warfare during the War of the Roses, gas attacks in WWI, bombings in WWII, and modern assassinations. The document argues that the poem shows how humans have become more efficient yet also more emotionally detached killers over the centuries.

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    This document provides an analysis of a poem about the evolution of human cruelty over time. The analysis discusses five ways that humans have killed each other throughout history, as depicted in the poem's stanzas. It describes the crucifixion of Jesus, warfare during the War of the Roses, gas attacks in WWI, bombings in WWII, and modern assassinations. The document argues that the poem shows how humans have become more efficient yet also more emotionally detached killers over the centuries.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    20 views1 page

    Analysis

    Uploaded by

    arianaduenas
    This document provides an analysis of a poem about the evolution of human cruelty over time. The analysis discusses five ways that humans have killed each other throughout history, as depicted in the poem's stanzas. It describes the crucifixion of Jesus, warfare during the War of the Roses, gas attacks in WWI, bombings in WWII, and modern assassinations. The document argues that the poem shows how humans have become more efficient yet also more emotionally detached killers over the centuries.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    Ariana Duenas

    Period 2
    I chose this poem because of it beauty; I found it interesting because of everything that is
    written on it. I think this is a very well structured poem. It consists of constituent elements and
    each stanza tells of a time period of how human beings brutally killed each other. As i have
    read through the poem, line by line, I have notice that, in truth and in fact mankind have
    become more cruel and have indeed tried to move farther away from their victims in
    committing the barbaric acts. From closely nailing Jesus to the cross to today where you could
    get a bullet to the head in a split second without anyone knowing who did it. If only it were not
    so. I hope God will change our era. But then again it's only the signs of the time. Man will only
    become more desperately wicked.

    For me, this poem is not sarcastic; it is ironic due to the fact that it is emotionless whereas
    sarcasm portrays the opposite emotion. As we know there are many complicated and weird
    ways of killing a man.

    For example, in the poem, in stanza 1 is represented the crucifixion of Jesus that took place
    circa 2000 years back. Jesus was nailed to a plank of wood in form of cross and forced to walk
    up the hill like that. That's not it. A crowd was required to humiliate the victim and witness the
    scenario to learn a lesson for any future mistake's repetition. The people witnessing the scene
    have no humanity or feelings as they see the entire scenario as if it’s part of their daily routine.
    A cloak to dissect: the victim was asked to remove his cloak before the execution so that
    instead of a proper grave, his corpse would be left on top of the hill for birds and animals to
    feed on him.

    As his last wish, Jesus asked for a drink of water. But as an insult, a sponge full of vinegar was
    poured in his mouth, making his life prolong even before his death.

    In the second stanza, the poet uses the war of the roses as a way to illustrate how wars were
    fought for the sake of crown and honor. In the brutal hand-to-hand warfare, the 'length of
    steel, shaped and chased in a traditional way' was referring to bill hooks, axes and hammers.
    These weapons pierced armor ('metal cage') with ease.

    The gas warfare in World War 1 was referred to in stanza 3. In 1915, the British used gas
    cylinders to send chlorine gas towards the German frontlines. The wind direction changed, and
    the chlorine gas poisoned the British soldiers instead. Trench warfare was also introduced.
    Trenches are like canals that soldiers hid in from attacks of enemies.

    The forth way of killing a man is to use bombing. This is an obvious reference to the bombings
    of Hiroshima and Nagasaki of Japan during World War 2. At the end of the bombing, what
    would be left would be 'land that no one needs for several years' as all would be destroyed. I
    remember all of those things because I learned in my U.S class. The last stanza is showing that
    in the 20th century, we can just say that a man is here and he'll kill himself. Because there is so
    much going on and the 20th century is so cruel that his going to do it.

    For me this poem is not about five ways to kill a man, it is more about how humanity is
    becoming, how it was and how is still the same. All the ways to kill a man are just an allusion
    about what was going on in the past and what is going on now.

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