The Rear Guard
by Siegfried Sassoon
(Hindenburg Line, April 1917)
Groping along the tunnel, step by step,
He winked his prying torch with patching glare
From side to side, and sniffed the unwholesome air.Tins, boxes, bottles, shapes and too vague to know;
A mirror smashed, the mattress from a bed;
And he, exploring fifty feet below
The rosy gloom of battle overhead.Tripping, he grabbed the wall; saw someone lie
Humped at his feet, half-hidden by a rug.
And stooped to give the sleeper’s arm a tug.
“I’m looking for headquarters.” No reply.
“God blast your neck!” (For days he’d had no sleep.)
“Get up and guide me through this stinking place.”
Savage, he kicked a soft, unanswering heap,
And flashed his beam across the livid face
Terribly glaring up, whose eyes yet wore
Agony dying hard of ten days before;
And fists of fingers clutched a blackening wound.Alone he staggered on until he found
Dawn’s ghost that filtered down a shafted stair
To the dazed, muttering creatures underground
Who hear the boom of shells in muffled sound.
At last, with sweat and horror in his hair,
He climbed through darkness to the twilight air,
Unloading hell behind him step by step.
Summary of The Rear Guard
- Understanding “The Rear Guard”: Siegfried Sassoon’s “The Rear Guard” offers a stark and unflinching portrayal of a soldier navigating the tunnels beneath the Hindenburg Line in April 1917. The poem is not a glorification of war, but a gritty depiction of its physical and psychological toll. It focuses on the grim realities faced by those serving in the rearguard, those stationed away from the immediate front lines, but still deeply immersed in the horrors of conflict.
- Central Idea & Key Themes: At its heart, “The Rear Guard” explores themes of death, disillusionment, and the dehumanizing impact of war. The poem presents a soldier tasked with finding headquarters, stumbling upon the decaying remains of a fellow soldier. This encounter, and the soldier’s callous reaction, highlights the emotional numbing and moral decay that war can inflict. The poem effectively contrasts the darkness of the tunnels with the faint glimmer of dawn, symbolizing a fragile hope struggling to emerge from the abyss.
- Historical Context & Significance: Written during World War I, “The Rear Guard” reflects the growing anti‑war sentiment prevalent among poets and writers of the time. Sassoon, who served as an officer in the British Army, used his personal experiences to expose the brutal realities of trench warfare and challenge the romanticized notions of heroism. The poem remains a powerful testament to the enduring human cost of conflict.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used In The Rear Guard
Sassoon masterfully employs a range of literary devices to enhance the poem’s impact and convey its themes. Let’s examine some key techniques.
- Imagery: The poem is rich in vivid imagery, creating a palpable sense of the claustrophobic and decaying environment. Consider the line “Tins, boxes, bottles, shapes and too vague to know; / A mirror smashed, the mattress from a bed.” This imagery doesn’t just describe the tunnel; it makes us feel the debris, the squalor, and the sense of abandonment.
- Assonance & Alliteration: Sassoon uses these devices to create musicality and emphasize certain phrases. Notice the repetition of the “s” sound in “savage, he kicked a soft, unanswering heap,” which subtly enhances the harshness of the action. Similarly, the assonance in “Groping along the tunnel, step by step” creates a slow, deliberate rhythm that mirrors the soldier’s cautious movements.
- Metaphor & Symbolism: “Dawn’s ghost that filtered down a shafted stair” is a powerful metaphor. Dawn isn’t just the beginning of a new day; it represents a fleeting glimmer of hope in the overwhelming darkness. The tunnels themselves can be seen as a symbol of the psychological depths of war, the hidden horrors that lie beneath the surface.
- Enjambment: The frequent use of enjambment—where a line of poetry continues onto the next without punctuation—creates a sense of momentum and urgency. For example: “Alone he staggered on until he found / Dawn’s ghost that filtered down a shafted stair.” This technique mirrors the soldier’s relentless, almost mechanical, progress through the tunnels.
- Diction: Sassoon’s word choice is deliberate and impactful. Words like “unwholesome,” “livid,” and “blackening” create a sense of decay, horror, and disgust.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in The Rear Guard
Beyond literary devices, “The Rear Guard” showcases several specific poetic techniques.
- Tone & Mood: The poem’s tone is overwhelmingly bleak and cynical. Sassoon avoids romanticizing war, instead presenting a stark and unflinching portrayal of its horrors. The mood is claustrophobic, unsettling, and filled with a sense of despair.
- Structure & Form: The poem consists of four stanzas of varying length. This irregular structure contributes to the poem’s unsettling and fragmented feel. The use of free verse, a lack of a consistent rhyme scheme or meter, further enhances this effect, mirroring the chaotic and unpredictable nature of war.
- First Person Perspective: The poem is narrated from the perspective of a soldier, offering a direct and intimate glimpse into his thoughts and experiences. This allows the reader to connect with the soldier on a personal level and feel the full weight of his burden.
- Irony: There’s a subtle irony in the soldier’s callous reaction to the dead body. He’s seeking headquarters, ostensibly to contribute to the war effort, yet he shows no respect for the fallen soldier. This highlights the dehumanizing effect of war and the moral compromises it demands.
Quotes to be Used
These lines from “The Rear Guard” are particularly evocative and suitable for illustrating specific points about the poem or the realities of war.
Tins, boxes, bottles, shapes and too vague to know;
A mirror smashed, the mattress from a bed;
And he, exploring fifty feet below
The rosy gloom of battle overhead.
This quote effectively captures the desolate and decaying environment of the tunnels.
And flashed his beam across the livid face
Terribly glaring up, whose eyes yet wore
Agony dying hard of ten days before;
This stark imagery conveys the horrific reality of death and suffering in war.
Alone he staggered on until he found
Dawn’s ghost that filtered down a shafted stair
This quote symbolizes the fragile hope amidst the darkness and despair of war.
“The Rear Guard” is a powerful and unsettling poem that offers a glimpse into the psychological toll of war. Through its vivid imagery, evocative language, and masterful use of poetic devices, Sassoon crafts a haunting and unforgettable portrayal of the horrors of conflict.