'Danny Deever' by Rudyard Kipling
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"What are the bugles blowin' for?" said Files-on-Parade.
"To turn you out, to turn you out", the Colour-Sergeant said.
"What makes you look so white, so white?" said Files-on-Parade.
"I'm dreadin' what I've got to watch", the Colour-Sergeant said.
For they're hangin' Danny Deever, you can hear the Dead March play,
The regiment's in 'ollow square -- they're hangin' him to-day;
They've taken of his buttons off an' cut his stripes away,
An' they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'.
"What makes the rear-rank breathe so 'ard?" said Files-on-Parade.
"It's bitter cold, it's bitter cold", the Colour-Sergeant said.
"What makes that front-rank man fall down?" said Files-on-Parade.
"A touch o' sun, a touch o' sun", the Colour-Sergeant said.
They are hangin' Danny Deever, they are marchin' of 'im round,
They 'ave 'alted Danny Deever by 'is coffin on the ground;
An' 'e'll swing in 'arf a minute for a sneakin' shootin' hound --
O they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'!
"'Is cot was right-'and cot to mine", said Files-on-Parade.
"'E's sleepin' out an' far to-night", the Colour-Sergeant said.
"I've drunk 'is beer a score o' times", said Files-on-Parade.
"'E's drinkin' bitter beer alone", the Colour-Sergeant said.
They are hangin' Danny Deever, you must mark 'im to 'is place,
For 'e shot a comrade sleepin' -- you must look 'im in the face;
Nine 'undred of 'is county an' the regiment's disgrace,
While they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'.
"What's that so black agin' the sun?" said Files-on-Parade.
"It's Danny fightin' 'ard for life", the Colour-Sergeant said.
"What's that that whimpers over'ead?" said Files-on-Parade.
"It's Danny's soul that's passin' now", the Colour-Sergeant said.
For they're done with Danny Deever, you can 'ear the quickstep play,
The regiment's in column, an' they're marchin' us away;
Ho! the young recruits are shakin', an' they'll want their beer to-day,
After hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Rudyard Kipling's Danny Deever
Oh boy, where do I even start with this one? Rudyard Kipling's Danny Deever is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. From its meter to its rhyme scheme to its subject matter, everything about this poem is stunning. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I'm going to break down what makes this poem so great and why it continues to be relevant over a century after it was first published.
Overview
Danny Deever was first published in 1890 as part of Kipling's Barrack-Room Ballads. It tells the story of a soldier who is executed for murdering a fellow soldier while under the influence of alcohol. The poem is written in the voice of a soldier who is witnessing the execution, and it explores themes of duty, loyalty, and the harsh realities of military life.
Form and Meter
One of the things that immediately stands out about Danny Deever is its use of meter. The poem is written in trochaic tetrameter, which means that each line is made up of four trochees (a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable). This gives the poem a rhythmic, march-like quality that evokes the military setting.
But what's really impressive about the poem's meter is the way that Kipling breaks it up. Throughout the poem, there are lines that deviate from the strict trochaic tetrameter, either by adding or subtracting syllables. For example, the opening lines of the poem are:
"What are the bugles blowin' for?" said Files-on-Parade.
"To turn you out, to turn you out", the Colour-Sergeant said.
Notice how the second line has an extra syllable ("to turn you out") that interrupts the regular meter. This creates a sense of urgency and tension that reflects the soldier's anxiety about what's happening. Later in the poem, there are lines that are shortened to create a sense of finality:
"I've drunk my water and I've tween my sheets and I've laid me down to die."
The use of meter in Danny Deever is masterful, and it's part of what makes the poem so memorable and effective.
Rhyme Scheme
In addition to its meter, Danny Deever also uses a complex rhyme scheme. The poem is written in ballad form, which means that it has a repeating rhyme pattern. In this case, the rhyme scheme is ABCB, meaning that the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme with each other.
But again, Kipling isn't content to just stick to the rules. Throughout the poem, he uses near-rhymes and slant-rhymes to create a sense of unease and dissonance. For example, in the fifth stanza, he rhymes "notice" with "shot us":
They sentries we relief in dreams an' slumbers, and white men's beds are cold,
But there's no sleepin' when you're sent to guard your country's mithril,
No! the sentry's job is never done an' he turns from one to t'other
To think of the home an' the wife an' child he left behind him mother.
"Is that the wind or is that the rain?" I ask'd stumblin' on the post.
"O, it's the drip from the sentry-box. You see it's like a ghost."
But the sentry he must watch an' walk an' not a word he'll speak,
An' he thinks that he's for a single man in a world that's all his own,
An' the regiment an' all the army an' the war itself are forgotten
For the sake of that rusty sentry-box an' the twistin', twistin' wire.
An' the dawn is pink on the mountain an' the winds is out an' free,
An' the rocks are roarin' round us an' the breaks are at our knee;
An' the river's splashin' head on an' the flood is nearly high,
"Will there be flood or fire tonight?" said Files-on-Parade.
"Who's to answer that?" said the Sergeant, squintin' at the sky.
"All I ask is a watchful eye, an' a mind untroubled by doubting,
An' the Colonel's cot wherever I may be, the regiment's aboutin'!"
The use of near-rhymes and slant-rhymes adds to the sense of unease and tension in the poem. It also reflects the chaotic, unpredictable nature of military life.
Themes
At its core, Danny Deever is a poem about duty and loyalty. The soldier who is executed is punished for violating the code of conduct that governs military life. The narrator of the poem, who witnesses the execution, struggles with his own sense of duty and loyalty. He understands why the soldier had to be executed, but he also feels sympathy for him and questions the morality of what he's seeing.
The poem also explores the harsh realities of military life. Kipling portrays the soldiers as being caught up in a system that is oppressive and dehumanizing. They are constantly reminded of their duty to the country and the regiment, but they are also treated as expendable and disposable. The scene of the execution is particularly powerful in this regard, as the soldiers are forced to participate in an act of violence that goes against their own moral code.
Interpretation
Danny Deever is a poem that has many layers of meaning, and it's open to interpretation in a number of ways. One possible interpretation is that the poem is a critique of the military-industrial complex. Kipling portrays the soldiers as being trapped in a system that is designed to use them up and discard them. The constant emphasis on duty and loyalty is a way of keeping them in line and preventing them from questioning the morality of what they're doing.
Another possible interpretation is that the poem is a commentary on the nature of power and authority. The soldier who is executed is punished for violating the rules that have been set by those in power. The narrator of the poem, who is also a soldier, is caught between his loyalty to the regiment and his own moral compass. Kipling is suggesting that those in power have the ability to control people's lives and force them to do things that go against their own sense of right and wrong.
Conclusion
Danny Deever is a poem that has stood the test of time. It's a masterpiece of form and meter, and it explores themes that are still relevant today. Kipling's portrayal of military life is both powerful and unsettling, and his use of near-rhymes and slant-rhymes adds to the sense of tension and unease. This is a poem that deserves to be studied and appreciated for generations to come.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Danny Deever: A Poem of Betrayal and Execution
Rudyard Kipling's "Danny Deever" is a classic poem that tells the story of a young soldier's execution for the crime of desertion. The poem is a powerful commentary on the harsh realities of military life and the moral dilemmas faced by soldiers in times of war. Through vivid imagery and a haunting refrain, Kipling captures the sense of betrayal and despair that Danny Deever and his fellow soldiers must have felt as they faced their fate.
The poem begins with a group of soldiers gathered around a young man named Danny Deever, who is about to be executed for desertion. The soldiers are all aware of the gravity of the situation, and they are all deeply affected by it. Kipling uses vivid imagery to describe the scene, painting a picture of a bleak and desolate landscape:
"What are the bugles blowin' for?" said Files-on-Parade. "To turn you out, to turn you out", the Colour-Sergeant said. "What makes you look so white, so white?" said Files-on-Parade. "I'm dreadin' what I've got to watch", the Colour-Sergeant said. For they're hangin' Danny Deever, you can hear the Dead March play, The regiment's in 'ollow square—they're hangin' him to-day; They've taken of his buttons off an' cut his stripes away, An' they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'.
The soldiers are all aware of the gravity of the situation, and they are all deeply affected by it. Kipling uses vivid imagery to describe the scene, painting a picture of a bleak and desolate landscape:
"The sun'll shine on ye again", said Ould John Thomas Grace. "But I shall ne'er forget", said Files-on-Parade. "For I'm that wretched and forlorn, I knows I've done for good, Ye'll have to send my 'elmet home, for I've no more use for food. I've misremembered clean the word; but it's something like 'his morn', For they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'."
The refrain "For they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'" is repeated throughout the poem, creating a sense of inevitability and finality. The soldiers are all aware that Danny Deever is going to die, and they are all struggling to come to terms with it. Kipling uses this repetition to drive home the sense of despair and hopelessness that pervades the poem.
As the poem progresses, Kipling delves deeper into the moral dilemmas faced by soldiers in times of war. He describes how Danny Deever was once a brave and loyal soldier, but that he was driven to desertion by the horrors of war:
"He's taken a 'isself to the worst purlieu* in the land, With a bullet in his gizzard, an' a lot of putty in his hand; An' sez to 'imself, as 'e lays alone, "The poor young feller that I've done for ain't 'arf as dear as Joan."
Kipling suggests that Danny Deever was not a coward, but rather a victim of circumstance. He was driven to desertion by the horrors of war, and by the knowledge that he had killed another human being. Kipling's portrayal of Danny Deever as a sympathetic character is a powerful commentary on the moral complexities of war, and on the ways in which soldiers are often forced to make impossible choices.
The poem ends with Danny Deever's execution, and with the soldiers' realization that they too could one day face the same fate:
"For they're hangin' Danny Deever, you must mark 'im to 'is place, For 'e shot a comrade sleepin'—you must look 'im in the face; Nine 'undred of 'is county an' the regiment's disgrace, While they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'."
Kipling's use of the word "disgrace" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the soldiers themselves feel a sense of shame and guilt over Danny Deever's execution. The poem ends on a somber note, with the soldiers realizing that they too could one day be executed for desertion or other crimes.
In conclusion, Rudyard Kipling's "Danny Deever" is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the moral complexities of war and the harsh realities of military life. Through vivid imagery and a haunting refrain, Kipling captures the sense of betrayal and despair that Danny Deever and his fellow soldiers must have felt as they faced their fate. The poem is a timeless commentary on the human cost of war, and on the ways in which soldiers are often forced to make impossible choices.
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