The Death Bed

Siegfried Sassoon was a British poet who served for the British army during World War I. Sassoon enrolled into the army before the war, however due to an injury, Sassoon missed the beginning of the war. While sitting out of the war, Sassoon's brother Gallipoli was killed in action. Upon Sassoon's return to the war, he immediately realized what was in store for him. According to the article, "Siegfried Sassoon Biography", "In November 1915, he finally made his way to the front line in France. Here, he was shocked by the reality of trench warfare. The ugliness of war had a profound influence on his poetic outlook" (biographyonline.net). Sassoon did not expect war to be as horrifying as it was. This is because of the way governments glorify being a soldier. However, Sassoon was still one of the bravest soldiers in the war. There are many stories that prove even though Sassoon was surprised by the harsh experience, he still gave the war his all. Sassoon's poem, "The Death Bed", paints a very dark image of a soldier dying on a rainy night. The imagery of the poem emphasizes the pain and tragedy a soldier goes through when dying in the trenches. The term "crimson" allows the reader to visualize a bloody scene. Using terms like "darkness" and "blind" emphasize that the soldier is losing his sight and slowly dying. However, the man is not alone. Therefore, the other soldiers around the man that are trying to prevent his death also have to suffer watching the soldier die. The common theme of death in the poem allow readers to realize that there is not much to war but death.