‘O Jesus Christ! I’m hit,’ he said; and died.
Whether he vainly cursed or prayed indeed,
The Bullets chirped. In vain, vain, vain!
Machine guns chuckled, Tut-tut! Tut-tut!
And the Big Gun guffawed.Another sighed, ‘O Mother, mother, Dad!’
Then smiled at nothing, childlike, being dead.
And the lofty Shrapnel cloud Leisurely gestured, Fool!
And the splinters spat, and tittered.‘My Love!’ one moaned. Love languid seemed his mood.
Till slowly lowered, his whole face kissed the mud.
And the Bayonets long teeth grinned.
Rabbles of shells hooted and groaned.
And the Gas hissed.
Welcome to an insightful exploration of “The Last Laugh,” a powerful and unsettling poem that offers a stark perspective on the horrors of war. This article provides a comprehensive guide to understanding this poignant work, delving into its summary, central themes, and the masterful use of literary devices that make it so impactful. Prepare to uncover the layers of meaning within this compelling piece of literature.
Understanding “The Last Laugh”
“The Last Laugh” is a chilling poem that confronts the brutal reality of warfare through a unique lens. While often mistakenly attributed to Wilfred Owen, a renowned World War I poet, its true authorship remains unknown. This poem stands apart by shifting focus from the human suffering of soldiers to the macabre, almost gleeful, “response” of the instruments of destruction themselves.
Summary and Central Idea
The poem unfolds across three stanzas, each depicting the final moments of a dying soldier. Instead of dwelling on their pain or heroic sacrifice, the narrative immediately juxtaposes their last words with the personified sounds and actions of the weapons that inflict their demise. The bullets, machine guns, shrapnel, splinters, bayonets, shells, and gas are all given human characteristics, particularly the ability to mock, laugh, and sneer at the dying men.
The central idea of “The Last Laugh” is the profound and disturbing indifference of war machinery to human life and suffering. Through vivid personification, the poem portrays the instruments of war as sentient entities that find a grotesque amusement in the destruction they cause. This creates a powerful sense of irony and highlights the dehumanizing nature of conflict, where human lives become mere fodder for the “laughter” of weapons.
Noteworthy Knowledge for Readers
- Attribution: It is crucial to remember that “The Last Laugh” is not by Wilfred Owen, despite common misattribution. This distinction is important for accurate literary study.
- Perspective: The poem offers a rare perspective by giving voice, or rather, “laughter,” to the inanimate objects of war. This unique approach forces readers to confront the mechanical, unfeeling aspect of conflict.
- Emotional Impact: The poem’s power lies in its ability to evoke a sense of horror and despair not through graphic descriptions of gore, but through the unsettling portrayal of weapons mocking human agony.
In-Depth Analysis of “The Last Laugh”
To fully appreciate “The Last Laugh,” a closer examination of its structure, language, and literary devices is essential. The poem masterfully employs personification, onomatopoeia, and stark imagery to convey its powerful message.
Stanza One: The Immediate, Mocking End
The opening stanza immediately plunges the reader into the brutal reality of combat with shocking directness. The line,
‘O Jesus Christ! I’m hit,’ he said; and died.
is stark and unembellished, emphasizing the suddenness and finality of death in war. The ambiguity of the soldier’s final thoughts,
Whether he vainly cursed or prayed indeed,
suggests that in the face of such an abrupt end, the distinction becomes irrelevant. The true horror begins with the response of the weaponry.
The poem introduces its primary literary device here: personification. The bullets, machine guns, and the big gun are given human attributes, specifically the capacity for cruel amusement:
- Personification and Onomatopoeia:
The Bullets chirped. In vain, vain, vain!
Machine guns chuckled, Tut-tut! Tut-tut!
And the Big Gun guffawed.The “chirped” bullets, “chuckling” machine guns, and “guffawing” big gun are not merely making sounds; they are actively mocking the dying soldier. The onomatopoeic “Tut-tut! Tut-tut!” reinforces this sense of dismissive scorn. The repetition of “In vain, vain, vain!” underscores the futility of human life and effort against the indifferent force of war. This stanza establishes a tone of macabre irony, where death is not a tragedy but a source of grotesque entertainment for the instruments of destruction.
Stanza Two: Childlike Vulnerability and Cruel Disregard
The second stanza introduces another soldier, whose death is imbued with a different kind of pathos. His final words,
‘O Mother, mother, Dad!’
evoke a profound sense of childlike vulnerability and longing for comfort. The image of him smiling at nothing before dying,
Then smiled at nothing, childlike, being dead.
suggests a tragic resignation or perhaps a final, innocent delusion in the face of oblivion. This deeply human moment is immediately shattered by the callous response of the war machines.
- Personification and Imagery:
And the lofty Shrapnel cloud Leisurely gestured, Fool!
And the splinters spat, and tittered.The shrapnel cloud, personified as “leisurely gestur[ing], Fool!”, delivers a direct insult, emphasizing the utter contempt the war holds for human life. The “splinters spat, and tittered” further amplify this cruel mockery, painting a vivid picture of small, sharp fragments of metal finding amusement in the soldier’s demise. This stanza powerfully illustrates how war dehumanizes its victims and turns even the most poignant human moments into fodder for the weapons’ cruel “laughter.”
Stanza Three: Love’s Fading Echo Against Indifferent Violence
The final stanza focuses on a third soldier, whose last thoughts are tinged with love. His mournful cry,
‘My Love!’ one moaned. Love languid seemed his mood.
highlights the enduring human capacity for affection, even in the throes of death. The poignant image of him slowly lowering his face to kiss the mud,
Till slowly lowered, his whole face kissed the mud.
suggests a final, intimate farewell to the earth, perhaps symbolizing a return to the basic elements from which he came.
However, this tender moment is brutally contrasted with the relentless, indifferent violence of the war machines:
- Personification and Auditory Imagery:
And the Bayonets long teeth grinned.
Rabbles of shells hooted and groaned.
And the Gas hissed.The “Bayonets long teeth grinned” evokes a predatory, almost animalistic glee in the act of killing. The “Rabbles of shells hooted and groaned” creates a cacophony of mocking sounds, suggesting a chaotic, jeering crowd of destructive forces. Finally, “the Gas hissed” adds a sinister, serpentine quality to the chemical weapon, implying a quiet, insidious malice. This stanza underscores the poem’s central theme: the absolute indifference of war to human emotion, love, or suffering. The machines continue their macabre “laughter,” utterly unaffected by the profound human tragedy unfolding around them.
The Enduring Impact of “The Last Laugh”
“The Last Laugh” remains a profoundly unsettling and thought-provoking poem. Its unique approach to war, by personifying the instruments of destruction and giving them a voice of mocking amusement, creates a powerful and unforgettable commentary on the dehumanizing nature of conflict. The poem’s stark imagery, effective use of onomatopoeia, and pervasive irony compel readers to confront the chilling reality that in war, human life can become utterly insignificant, reduced to a mere punchline for the weapons themselves. This masterful work continues to resonate, offering a timeless reflection on the grim, unfeeling face of battle.