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Joel Kim
Professor Gonzales
English 102 T TH
15 October 2016
Fifty Shades of Patriotism
When a general population hears the word, patriotism, the definition of
the word is automatically understood as an attachment and great amount of
loyalty and service to one’s country. However, not all circumstances are the
same for everyone, and therefore their definition of patriotism may differ
from what other people may perceive. Through the works of certain authors
in their literature, readers can identify the different forms in patriotism and
fully understand what that individual stands for, when the word patriotism is
spoken.
Author W. H. Auden in the poem “The Unknown Citizen” argues that
patriotism considered an imperfect concept, and that a person’s primary
loyalties should be toward mankind. In “War is Kind” by Stephen Crane, the
author argues that just because a soldier fights for his or her country does
not mean that they are fighting for any of its ideals or purposes. And finally,
in the poem “An Irish Airman Forsees His Death” by author William Butler
Yeats, he makes a point that what the soldier calls his patriotism, is different
from what the general population defines it as. Through these three poems,
all authors are trying to prove a point, that the definition of patriotism
stands different for everyone. The concept of patriotism defines itself as
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extreme passion and love for their home or country. However, the word
home or country can be translated into other meanings, such as family,
ideals, integrity, or some people may be forced to serve their country and
other people may perceive that as patriotism, while that individual is just
filling out his obligation. The misconception of patriotism in modern day
society is easily labeled onto people for certain actions that they may do;
whether they serve the country on a willingly attitude or just have a
different outlook on patriotism, to everyone it is an entirely another thing
they are fighting for.
Author Stephen Crane illustrates through his poem, “War is Kind”, that
patriotism isn’t what it seems to everyone, but in fact based on the person it
is completely different. This is shown based within the tone of the speaker
and how he perceives all the death and casualties of the soldiers. When the
speaker states “These men were born to drill and die. / The unexplained
glory flies above them /Great is the battle god, great and his kingdom/ A
field where a thousand corps lie.” (Lines 8-11) illustrates what patriotism
means to this speaker. The speaker of the poem seems very patriotic, but
only when it comes to serving the so called “battle god”, and that all he does
is to satisfy this god. Rather than worrying about the casualties and the
death that surrounds him, the speaker plainly states that it is simply the
soldiers job to serve and die.
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The soldiers don’t even have patriotism for whatever they are fighting
for, nor are they told by the speaker. The speaker, presumably a higher
ranking, forces these soldiers to fight and die all for his and the god’s glory.
To him that is his definition of patriotism, where only his ideals matter. For
the soldiers, where they are helplessly controlled by higher ranking officers,
they are forced to fight for something that makes no sense. Glory in this
poem personifies to a flag, but the author is trying to prove that mindless
killing for a flag, which only stands as an object or label, is ludicrous and not
deemed worthy to be defined as patriotism.
The author even goes further to prove the point of a mindless killing
definition of patriotism.
