The Man He Killed

The Man He Killed Analysis

The Man he Killed
 
 
1 Had he and I but met

2 By some old ancient inn,

3 We should have set us down to wet

4 Right many a nipperkin!           
 
5 But ranged as infantry,

6 And staring face to face,

7 I shot at him as he at me,

8 And killed him in his place. 
 
9 I shot him dead because--

10 Because he was my foe,

11 Just so: my foe of course he was;

12 That's clear enough; although 
 
13 He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,              

14 Off-hand like--just as I--

15 Was out of work--had sold his traps--             

16 No other reason why. 
 
17 Yes; quaint and curious war is!     

18 You shoot a fellow down

19 You'd treat, if met where any bar is,

20 Or help to half a crown.

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Context

This poem was wrote during a time of poverty and therefore becoming a solider was a way out of being poor.It was wrote in 1902 which was the 2nd Boer War. This was a war about the British Empire and the defence of certain areas of the British Empire. However many British people did not agree with going to war for this reason.

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