'Base Details' by Siegfried Sassoon 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…
'Base Details' by Siegfried Sassoon 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, Id toddle safely home and die - in bed. 1 Who is the speaker in this poem? 2 List the adjectives used to describe the Majors and the ordinary soldiers. How do you think the poet feels about the Majors? And how does he feel about the soldiers?
The speaker in the poem "Base Details" by Siegfried Sassoon appears to be a soldier or a veteran, expressing disdain and irony towards the military hierarchy, specifically the officers (Majors) who remain at a safe distance from the front lines. The speaker adopts a critical stance, reflecting on the contrast between his position and that of those who actually face the dangers of war.
Adjectives used to describe the Majors:
- "scarlet" (referring to their uniforms)
- "puffy" (describing the Major's face as overly indulgent or bloated)
- "petulant" (implying a childish or irritable attitude)
Adjectives used to describe the ordinary soldiers:
- "glum" (describing the heroes who are sent to war)
- "poor" (used to describe the young men who die in war)
The poet feels a strong sense of disdain and sarcasm towards the Majors. The use of adjectives like "puffy" and "petulant" suggests that he views them as self-indulgent and detached from the realities of war. The image of the Majors living in luxury while sending soldiers to their deaths highlights a sense of moral corruption and hypocrisy.
In contrast, the speaker's use of "glum" to describe the soldiers conveys a sense of sympathy and recognition of their grim reality. The mention of "poor young chap" suggests a feeling of sorrow for the young soldiers who sacrifice their lives, indicating that the speaker respects and empathizes with them but sees their plight as tragic and deeply unjust. Overall, the poem underscores a stark divide between the privileged officers and the suffering soldiers, eliciting feelings of irony and bitterness regarding the war's social dynamics.
