Essay Sample on Interpretation of the Poem

The author wrote the poem in a realistic style. It explains a historic event as it happened without having to use literal terms. This poem talks about a part of a historical war between China and Japan. The incident took place on 15th September 1894, and it is called the Battle of Pyongyang. The war involved the Chinese and Japanese (Paine, 2005). Japan attacked China by surrounding the city of Pyongyang. China was well-armed and tried to fight back, but the Japanese were too strong to be defeated. After a heavy exchange of bullets, Chinese soldiers suffered so many casualties that they could not continue. The Japanese soldiers were very trained and motivated; therefore, china had no chance against them.

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The poem says that although China surrendered, Japan decided not to take over the city. The Chinese announced that Japan had lost. The Chinese were long since the Japanese soldiers settled near the town and kept attacking them from Moktan-tei. Chinese were not able to leave the city in an attempt to do so made one was killed by snipers.

The conquest left 2000 Chinese soldiers, 4000, got wounded, and only 102 Japanese men died. Only 433 Japanese soldiers ended up wounded, and their 33 men went missing. Chinese, were trapped in the city, and had no option but to surrender (Paine, 2005).

Literal Devices Used in the Poem

The poet has alliteration in the poem. Alliteration is when the writer uses words with similar sound at the start consecutively (Brinton,1987). In the poem, the words "Japanese" and "giants" alliterate. The terms follow each other and have the same sound at the start of each. Other words that alliterate in the poem are “casualties” and the word "cast" in the third paragraph. The terms "largely" and "less," used in the poem, also show an example of alliteration. The use of alliteration has made the poem to have musicality and rhythm.

The writer of the poem used allegory to write the poem. Instead of using literal words to pass the message, he used direct language. The poet just explains what happened between China and Japan soldiers without using secret language. Allegory helps the person reading the poem to understand the poem without having to struggle with its interpretation. Every person can explain what happened in the war of Pyongyang after reading the poem.

The writer of the poem has also used colloquial language in the poem. Colloquialism occurs, whereby the poet uses an informal style to present his ideas. An example of everyday language is when the writer uses the words "largely less," which form colloquial language.

The author has also used metaphoric language in the poem. He compares two things with one another by replacing the name of the first thing with the second one. In the last paragraph, the poet says that the Japanese soldiers were angry lions feeding on their prey to mean that the Japanese were ruthless on the Chinese. Another literal device that the poet used is the use of contrast. The poem compares two sides that were involved in a battle. The poet tells us that the Japanese soldiers were too weak compared to the Japanese since Japan had trained their soldiers well. The poet uses comparison to explain how the Chinese got defeated on their home grounds.

Lessons Learned From the Poets

From the poetry lessons we had, I have how to use a rhyme scheme to bring rhythm to your poem. In my poem, I used rhyme to make the poem more musical. The rhyme scheme of the poem has made it to be more entertaining. In my poetry, words such as “weapon” and “champion” in the second paragraph rhyme. Another pair of rhyming words in the poem is "fire" and "everywhere," which appear in the fourth paragraph of the poem.

From the poets that we studied, I learned that there are three ways of representing one's ideas in a poem. Poets have to choose whether to write them using an explicit approach, smuggling, or realistic presentation. If an author decides to use the precise method, then the poem will begin with politics, and then the author tells us his story. However, poets who choose this style of writing might find themselves in trouble with the government. Authors who decide the smuggling style of writing use literature to tell the audience their story. In realism, authors go direct to their views without having to use secret language. In my poem, I chose to be realistic. I presented the battle of Pyongyang precisely the way it happened without using literal terms.

In the poem of psalms, the poet compares the wise and the thoughtless words. He also compared truth and lies. From the psalmist's poem, I learned how to use the theme of comparison. In my poetry, I have used contrast to explain the situation as it was in China. Comparison in the poem has made it possible to explain what the Japanese expected and what happened in reality.

Effects of Poem on the Society

The poem encourages the members of the society always to be determined. The poem helps the members of the community always to be organized. In the above verse, we see the need always to stay ready to fight for their rights. By encouraging boldness, the poem enhances our culture, which requires members of society to remain forever determined. If Japan could not have remained committed, they could not have retrieved the land that China had captured.

The poem is also a source of entertainment for people in the community; it will entertain people. In addition to entertaining people, the verse teaches the importance of unity in everything that the city undertakes. By preaching on the need for unity in society, the poem enhances the principles of society's culture. The ballad goes as per the culture of our organization. In the poem, the Chinese chose to surrender because they were unable to win the battle. Similarly, our community's culture emphasizes the need not to fight a battle that one has already lost.

References

Paine, S. C. (2005). The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895: perceptions, power, and primacy. Cambridge University Press. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=gLgz65blI7cC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=the+sino-japanese+war&ots=5gwInUschr&sig=DOJ1TqYnn84O4jwEqSmrnBAkubI

Brinton, L. J. (1987). A linguistic approach to certain old English stylistic devices. Studia Neophilologica, 59(2), 177-185. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00393278708587970