Student Question
What is the literal meaning of this line from Sassoon's poem "The Hero": "had panicked down the trench that night the mine went up at Wicked Corner?"
Quick answer:
The line from Siegfried Sassoon's poem "The Hero" describes a soldier's fear during combat. Literally, it means the soldier panicked and ran down a trench (a protective hole in the ground) when a mine exploded at a location known as Wicked Corner. This imagery contrasts with the heroic story told to his mother, highlighting the soldier's true fear and vulnerability in battle.
Siegfried Sassoon's poem "The Hero" reflects upon the death of a soldier. In reality, the soldier was a "cold-footed, useless swine," but Brother Officer lied to the soldier's mother telling her "gallant lies" about her son's heroism.
The lines of the poem in question,
Had panicked down the trench that night the mine
Went up at Wicked Corner,
state how the solider really was.
Literally, the soldier had panicked (become overcome with fear) the night the mine blew up ("went up" is slang for exploding or catching on fire). Given the warring setting, one can assume that the mine was blown up.
A trench is a hole dug in the ground to protect soldiers during war. Wicked Corner is, most likely, the name of the area where the mine was located.
Essentially, the soldier became very scared, jumped into the long hole meant to protect him, as the mine blew up.
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