I have two questions about this poem that I don't understand.
Base Details
If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath,
I'd live with scarlet Majors at the Base,
And speed glum heroes up the line to death.
You'd see me with my puffy petulant face,
Guzzling and gulping in the best hotel,
Reading the Roll of Honour. ‘Poor young chap,’
I'd say---‘I used to know his father well;
Yes, we've lost heavily in this last scrap.’
And when the war is done and youth stone dead,
I'd toddle safely home and die---in bed.
–Siegfried Sassoon
Question 1
In this poem, the word "base" means both:
I think the answer is the second one.
The military installation and the fact that it is in a 'basement.'
The military installation and the people that inhabit it.
The people that work on a base and the vulgarity of sending young men off to war.
The military installation and the vulgarity of sending young men off to war.
Question 2
The word 'details' is ironic (says one thing but means another) because:
I think that the answer is the third one.
It explains all the little tasks that the soldiers have to do
It trivializes (makes it seem insignificant) the fact that young men are dying
It makes it seem like the older soldiers have done nothing to win the war
It focuses on clerks and not on soldiers
I agree with both of your answers.
thank you
You're welcome.
To answer your questions about this poem, we can analyze the text and context to understand its meaning.
Question 1:
In this poem, the word "base" means both:
- The military installation and the fact that it is in a 'basement.'
- The military installation and the people that inhabit it.
- The people that work on a base and the vulgarity of sending young men off to war.
- The military installation and the vulgarity of sending young men off to war.
The correct answer is the fourth option: "The military installation and the vulgarity of sending young men off to war." In this poem, the word "base" refers to the military installation, where the speaker imagines living with "scarlet Majors." The word also conveys the idea of the vulgarity of sending young men off to war, suggesting a critique of the higher-ranking officers who make decisions from the safety of the base while sending soldiers to their deaths.
Question 2:
The word 'details' is ironic (says one thing but means another) because:
- It explains all the little tasks that the soldiers have to do.
- It trivializes (makes it seem insignificant) the fact that young men are dying.
- It makes it seem like the older soldiers have done nothing to win the war.
- It focuses on clerks and not on soldiers.
The correct answer is the second option: "It trivializes (makes it seem insignificant) the fact that young men are dying." The word "details" in the title "Base Details" suggests that the poem might focus on the specific tasks or responsibilities of soldiers at the base. However, in an ironic twist, the poem actually emphasizes the trivial and callous attitude of the officers at the base who live comfortably while young men die on the battlefield. The term "details" here represents the triviality and lack of concern for the lives of the soldiers.
By understanding the intention and layers of meaning in the poem, we can interpret it more accurately.