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Year 10
Eduqas

Analysing Brooke's presentation of England and patriotism in 'The Soldier'

I can analyse how Brooke uses language, form and structure to express his patriotism.

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Year 10
Eduqas

Analysing Brooke's presentation of England and patriotism in 'The Soldier'

I can analyse how Brooke uses language, form and structure to express his patriotism.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Brooke uses personification to portray England as a mother figure, who has nurtured and cared for him his whole life.
  2. Brooke presents England as a superior nation; he portrays England as idyllic to illustrate his patriotism.
  3. The image of an “English heaven” reflects Brooke's hopes of being reunited with England in the event of his death.
  4. Brooke uses the sonnet form perhaps to reflect his love for, and devotion to, England.
  5. Brooke subverts conventions of traditional sonnets, perhaps because his love for England is familial and not romantic.

Keywords

  • Patriotism - showing a devotion to, and love for one’s country

  • Superior - more important/powerful/valuable than something else

  • Nurturing - to take care of and protect something or someone

  • Sonnet - a poem with 14 lines and a regular rhyme scheme

  • Idyllic - extremely perfect and/or picturesque

Common misconception

Students might think that Brooke fought and died in the war because he wrote a war poem.

Although Brooke bravely volunteered to fight in the war, he never actually engaged in any military action. Unfortunately, Brooke died from septicaemia on a ship en route to battle.

When students are asked to consider whether they think Brooke would regret writing this poem, try to get them to recap the context of this poem, and think about what might have happened if people had been too frightened to enlist in the war - perhaps consider conscription in light of this.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of the Eduqas poetry anthology for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the poem 'The Soldier' about?
a solider running through no man's land
Correct answer: a soldier expressing his love for his country
a soldier returning home from war
Q2.
To express a deep love and admiration for your country is to be...
Correct Answer: patriotic
Q3.
If you have unrealistic expectations you can be said to be...
pessimistic
optimistic
Correct answer: idealistic
Q4.
What are sonnets traditionally about?
Correct answer: love
war
families
Q5.
Which quotation taken from 'The Soldier' uses personification?
Correct answer: "A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware"
"under an English heaven."
"If I should die, think only this of me:"
Q6.
To is to praise something or make it seem good or special, usually when it is not.
Correct Answer: glorify

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:patriotism,showing a devotion to, and love for one’s country

showing a devotion to, and love for one’s country

Correct Answer:superior,more important/powerful/valuable than something else

more important/powerful/valuable than something else

Correct Answer:nurturing ,to take care of and protect something or someone

to take care of and protect something or someone

Correct Answer:idyllic ,extremely perfect and/or picturesque

extremely perfect and/or picturesque

Q2.
In 'The Soldier', Brooke uses the form perhaps to reflect his love for, and devotion to England.
Correct Answer: sonnet
Q3.
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem 'The Soldier?
Correct answer: ABAB
ABBA
AABB
Q4.
In the poem 'The Soldier' England is presented as a __________ figure.
father
Correct answer: mother
parental
Q5.
Which quotation from 'The Soldier' shows Brooke feels he embodies England and it's a part of him?
Correct answer: "That is for ever England."
"In that rich earth"
"Her sights and sounds"
Q6.
Complete the quotation from the final line of 'The Soldier': "In hearts at peace, under an English ."
Correct Answer: heaven