British Nationalism And Self Sacrifice By Rupert Brooke...

Prior to 1914, the British Empire had enjoyed uncontested supremacy as the largest and most powerful empire in the world. Thus, the British government’s decision to enter the First World War instantly ignited a fierce fusion of Nationalism and extreme patriotism throughout Britain. British Nationalism and war propaganda profoundly influenced the writings of numerous British poets during the early years of World War One. However, as the war progressed, attitudes concerning pro-nationalist ideologies began to change. The horrific realities of the war produced a profusion of sardonic, anti-nationalistic poetry as young soldier-poets confronted death and destruction. For example, British poets Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen drew from their experiences as soldiers during the war while frequently addressing the themes of British Nationalism and patriotic self-sacrifice throughout their poetry. However, Brooke and Owen’s wartime experiences were largely dissimilar. As a result , their works contained vastly differing perspectives regarding the themes of British Nationalism and self-sacrifice. Rupert Brooke’s sonnet â€Å"The Soldier,† written at the beginning of the Great War, is infused with nationalistic undertones. Brooke begins his sonnet by writing, â€Å"If I should die, think only this of me / That there’s some corner of a foreign field / That is forever England† (1-3). Brooke’s poetic lines are imbued with nostalgic longings for England and reflect a romanticized, naà ¯ve view of war