Understanding the poem ‘The Man He Killed’ by Thomas Hardy
I can explain how Hardy explores attitudes to war.
Understanding the poem ‘The Man He Killed’ by Thomas Hardy
I can explain how Hardy explores attitudes to war.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The poem was written during the Boer War.
- Hardy was very critical of this war and the British Empire’s military tactics.
- Hardy was suspicious that the British Empire wanted to exploit South Africa’s natural resources.
- In the poem, Hardy explores the similarities between two ‘enemy’ soldiers.
- He implies that perceiving war as simply a battle between good and evil dehumanises the people fighting,
Keywords
Perception - the way something is understood or interpreted, influenced by personal beliefs or biases
Contradiction - a statement or situation that is inconsistent or incompatible with another, causing conflict
Dehumanising - depicting people as less than human, stripping them of individuality or complexity, often for propaganda
Propaganda - information or material spread to promote a particular cause or viewpoint, often biased or misleading
Futility - a feeling of pointlessness or ineffectiveness in achieving a desired outcome or goal
Common misconception
This poem is written about soldiers fighting in WWI.
This poem was published during the Second Boer War (1899-1902) fought during the Victorian era. The First World War wouldn't begin for another 12 years.
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Understanding the poem ‘The Man He Killed’ by Thomas Hardy, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Understanding the poem ‘The Man He Killed’ by Thomas Hardy, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 english lessons from the 'Conflict' unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
You need access to a copy of ‘The Man He Killed’ by Thomas Hardy. This can be found in the Edexcel Poetry Anthology (we will be using the ‘Conflict’ cluster).
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
