Question

DiYanni gives us an example of a poetic ironic tone in Stephen Crane’s "War is Kind." What is some of the imagery that Crane describes in this poem that makes his repetitive statement, "Do not weep. / War is kind." so ironic? Obviously, Crane paints a picture of war’s gruesome brutality and harsh realities, not a war that is kind.

Answer 1

Answer:

Wild Hands, Steed Running, Drums of Regiment, Thousand Corpse Die

Explanation:

In the poem, 'War is Kind', Stephen Crane has used imagery depicting ghastly war scenes. The 'wild hands toward the sky' illustrates either a sign of victory of fury for killing while 'affrighted steed ran on alone' is when the rider is attacking the enemy in the battlefield. 'Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment' is war trumpet and 'born to drill and die' is image when soldiers fight each other and die. The most appropriate imagery is 'a field where a thousand corpses lie' which shows the outcome of a war for which the poet uses irony 'war is kin', which is actually very devastating. In 'your father tumbled in the yellow trenches' is the war imagery when a soldier tries to escape the gunfire.