War Bride - Analysis
The anti – war poem “War Bride” composed by Madoline Nina Murdoch, composes the message why do young have to go and fight, when it is the old men who make the wars and then they leave it up to the young men.
The title “War bride” is a term used in reference to wartime marriages between soldiers and foreigners, especially – but not exclusively during World War I and World War II, however, what person in their right mind would marry during a war, yet that also reflects the madness of war.
Nina Murdoch uses her voice (as a women) to represent how women should feel about the vulnerability of young men and the immunity of old men when war is declared. Murdoch’s poem is the reality
of war feelings upheld by the War Brides in Australia albeit after the event – when death or disfigurement of a loved one made their awareness too late.
The poem War Bride consists of rhyming words at the end of each of the lines, which gives the poem rhythm and links lines Murdoch wishes to stress such as began/span; rooms/tombs; fight!/night;bride/pride; breath/Death and rot/plot. The poems mood and tone is set out in the opening line “There has been wrong done since the world began” - a bold, harsh and confronting statement that reflects Murdoch’s feelings at the time and since has been attributed to World War I.
Nina Murdock labels politicians as “crafty eyed, greedy fingered, and feeble lungs, who make mischief in the world and are called wise, however, if wise why do they bring war on us with their garrulous tongues”. Indeed, the reality of war is in contrast to garrulous where firearms do the talking. This demonstrates that she believes the war is a result of the fighting, arguments and threats of politicians who make war against each other. An example of this is the Cold War, and sometimes the not so cold war
between U.S.A and Russia.
Throughout the poem, “It is the old men” is repeated five out seven stanzas. I believe this
phrase is repeated to criticise old men at home who were never in danger of losing their lives. This repetition supports the fact that old men make war that young men fight. The repetition of “It is the old men” suggests that it is the old men who should fight, as they have “nought to lose” and “nought to pray” and the young men should stay in Australia and start the journey of their lives, so as not be cut short by the horrors war.
Nina Murdoch highlights the fact that women had dreams “The dreams that dwell in the eyes of a young bride…The hope of children coming, and the pride, of little home and gardens in the sun” the young bride wished to share their hopes and dreams with their husband; to have a life together, to have children, to buy their first house, to grow old together. But for some women these dreams were sometimes just a fairy tale, a distant reality, when their husbands come “home” irreversibility changed, and too many times died performing their call of duty to leave young widows behind, never to complete their shared dreams. This is a restated theme that young men indeed no men or for that matter women, should die in war.
In the last stanza of the poem Murdoch states that “This is the bitterest wrong of the world wide”. The use of “worldwide” refers to that the whole world is affected when it come to the events of war. If one country declares war, their allies and neighboring countries are affected even if they do not declare war, this then suggest the names of the last two major conflicts as “World Wars”. Why then not prevent war
happening.
The title “War bride” is a term used in reference to wartime marriages between soldiers and foreigners, especially – but not exclusively during World War I and World War II, however, what person in their right mind would marry during a war, yet that also reflects the madness of war.
Nina Murdoch uses her voice (as a women) to represent how women should feel about the vulnerability of young men and the immunity of old men when war is declared. Murdoch’s poem is the reality
of war feelings upheld by the War Brides in Australia albeit after the event – when death or disfigurement of a loved one made their awareness too late.
The poem War Bride consists of rhyming words at the end of each of the lines, which gives the poem rhythm and links lines Murdoch wishes to stress such as began/span; rooms/tombs; fight!/night;bride/pride; breath/Death and rot/plot. The poems mood and tone is set out in the opening line “There has been wrong done since the world began” - a bold, harsh and confronting statement that reflects Murdoch’s feelings at the time and since has been attributed to World War I.
Nina Murdock labels politicians as “crafty eyed, greedy fingered, and feeble lungs, who make mischief in the world and are called wise, however, if wise why do they bring war on us with their garrulous tongues”. Indeed, the reality of war is in contrast to garrulous where firearms do the talking. This demonstrates that she believes the war is a result of the fighting, arguments and threats of politicians who make war against each other. An example of this is the Cold War, and sometimes the not so cold war
between U.S.A and Russia.
Throughout the poem, “It is the old men” is repeated five out seven stanzas. I believe this
phrase is repeated to criticise old men at home who were never in danger of losing their lives. This repetition supports the fact that old men make war that young men fight. The repetition of “It is the old men” suggests that it is the old men who should fight, as they have “nought to lose” and “nought to pray” and the young men should stay in Australia and start the journey of their lives, so as not be cut short by the horrors war.
Nina Murdoch highlights the fact that women had dreams “The dreams that dwell in the eyes of a young bride…The hope of children coming, and the pride, of little home and gardens in the sun” the young bride wished to share their hopes and dreams with their husband; to have a life together, to have children, to buy their first house, to grow old together. But for some women these dreams were sometimes just a fairy tale, a distant reality, when their husbands come “home” irreversibility changed, and too many times died performing their call of duty to leave young widows behind, never to complete their shared dreams. This is a restated theme that young men indeed no men or for that matter women, should die in war.
In the last stanza of the poem Murdoch states that “This is the bitterest wrong of the world wide”. The use of “worldwide” refers to that the whole world is affected when it come to the events of war. If one country declares war, their allies and neighboring countries are affected even if they do not declare war, this then suggest the names of the last two major conflicts as “World Wars”. Why then not prevent war
happening.