Hi,
I would like to voice my opinions on the topic that we are soon going to embark on for our LA lessons- War Poetry. I have already read some war poems last year, for example, Alfred Lord Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade". I feel very excited because I am particularly interested in war and I hope to be able to learn some new lessons about war. I also hope that I will be able to pick up some techniques to describe the battle scene, something that will definitely benefit my essay writing.
Having watched many war shows and read war poetry before, I think that this topic would be of no unfamiliarity to me. I think that war is a very touching event where many young men risk their lives for their countries and fight valiantly to win the war. It is about character; a sheer test of perseverance and resilience to stay focused on the war despite the deaths of many other fellow soldiers. Therefore, every time a watch a war film, I will be moved and will hence be forced to choke down my tears.
War is definitely also a cruel thing. It separates men from their families, and when these men die, who will take care of the women and children? It is a loss that is hard to take but has to be accepted. War is caused by unresolved differences or conflicting egos between two parties and violence is hence one of the methods to resolve this issue. But can violence really solve these issues? On the surface level, it certainly can prove that one party has more authority over another. However, revenge and bitterness will definitely stay in the citizens' minds and this will only help to sour the relationship more between the two parties. Furthermore, so many people's lives are lost just because of a conflict, it is really very inhumane. Pain, death, bleeding may all seem common to us, but the people experiencing it definitely have no fun at all. Why, oh why, can't conflicts be settled with a treaty. This, I have to admit, is hard to materialise because it is very hard to ask the parties to give in to each other. Fortunately, times are different now. In the past, there were many wars being waged, probably also because of the lack of clear boundaries of each countries, causing the fights for land area. Now, we have the judicial system so that parties can argue in court and war is definitely the last thing on any minister's mind, as it can prove hugely detrimental to the country's economy. However, should a war be waged soon, I have a feeling that it will be much, much bigger compared to wars of the past because of the advanced technology we now enjoy. This means more weapons made, more deadly weapons and hence more painful deaths. Therefore, I sincerely pray that no such thing will happen again, but I know this is only a dream.
Nathanael
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Dear Nathanael,
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I would like to point out that the author of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" is Lord Alfred Tennyson, or Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and not Alfred Lord Tennyson. Alfred is definitely not Tennyson's surname. I agree with you that war displays the best in some humans, such as courage and loyalty. However, you also have to consider that war also displays the worst in humans. Qualities such as brutality, betrayal and cowardice are exposed in some humans, after all, not everyone is courageous and loyal to one's own country, especially when an even stronger country rises up.
I rather liked your blog post as it has inspired a new line of thought for me about war - do certain people have the right to control other people's lives? As I read your lines about how war is between two parties, I realised that war is not truly about two parties, but instead, about two people, that is, the leaders of the countries at war. This made me think - do these people have the right to control other people's lives and send them to a battle which they may never come back from?
Regards,
Chong Kai En (2i106)