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Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems.


This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder.


"Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the verb form is "absolve," meaning "forgive."


So, this is a poem about war; it's saying that war is essentially a terrible sin that brings destruction to humanity and to the earth, but when it's over--when we forgive ourselves for the sin of war-- we're left with more wisdom, freedom, and happiness than we had before, and we find a deeper understanding about how valuable time is and how fast it goes by. Whether you believe the speaker is expressing these sentiments genuinely or is stating them ironically (and therefore parodying other sappy war poetry) is a matter of personal interpretation.


The speaker uses basic but powerful diction ("wise," "free, "heart," "brothers") and one simple metaphor ("Time's but a golden wind that shakes the grass"). However, you might criticize the speaker for relying also on vague, emotion-laden terms like "anguish," "beauty," "horror," and "heritage."


Each stanza follows an ABAB rhyme scheme ("eyes/see/wise/free," "foe/pass/know/grass," "part/others/heart/brothers") and most lines feature ten smooth and rhythmic syllables. You might liken this simple, plodding rhythm to a marching song or even a lullaby.

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