Essay Questions

In what way do the first and second stanzas of the poem contrast and complement each other?

The first stanza of the poem has an explosive and straight-to-the-point quality to it, with rich metaphoric language. The opening phrase has a sense of finality and fatality to it, continuing on with the destructive quality of war, which destroys any progress made until that moment. The second stanza is in contrast to the first one as it provides positive images of blooming spring, blazing sun and rich autumn, but these images are images of the past. Therefore, it complements the first stanza by comparing the past positivity to enhance the negative present. This is further confirmed in the final lines that have a paradox quality, bringing together hope and despair, life and death with the image of blood as seed for the sowings of new spring.

What does the line “famine of thought and feeling” imply?

The line “famine of thought and feeling” is one of many metaphors used in the poem to describe the destructiveness of war. It implies the absence of rational and critical thinking, the absence of compassion and regard for others, the complete destruction of what makes humanity.

How are the images of seasons used in the poem to convey its message?

The images of seasons are metaphorically used in the poem to convey the contrasting themes of death and life, of despair and hope, of destruction and rebuilding. The most prominently used season is winter, and it represents war, death, darkness and destructiveness. Spring is used as a symbol of new life, rebuilding and hope. Spring and summer are used to represent hope and positivity in contrast to the despair and negativity of winter. Autumn is used to represent both opposing sides. In the first stanza it is used to complement the despair of winter, with the image of rotting grain, while in the second it is used to represent hope and richness with the image of harvest home.