Imperial echoes: a postcolonial critique of Rupert Brooke’s “The Soldier”

Abstract

This article provides a postcolonial critique of Rupert Brooke’s First World War poem “The Soldier” (1914), revealing the underlying imperialist ideologies embedded in the poem. Written at the beginning of the First World War, the poem epitomises patriotic enthusiasm and glorifies the idea of dying for one’s country. However, from a postcolonial perspective, the poem can be interpreted as a reflection of the colonial mindset that prevailed during Brooke’s time. The assertion that a piece of foreign land could forever be England illustrates the colonial pretensions and cultural superiority inherent in British imperialism. Brooke’s idealisation of England and the depiction of the soldier’s death as a sacrifice under the English heaven serve to morally justify colonial expansion and warfare. This perspective ignores the presence and experiences of the colonised peoples, reducing them to mere backdrops for British heroism. Furthermore, the poet’s emphasis on England’s inherent virtues such as flowers, air and rivers points to a narrative of cultural hegemony. By focusing exclusively on the British soldier’s allegiance to England and glorifying the sense of Englishness, the poem neglects the brutal realities and ethical aspects of colonialism. This study therefore argues that Rupert Brooke’s “The Soldier” employs patriotic idealism to glorify Englishness and sacrifice, which, from a postcolonial perspective, legitimizes the imperialist ideologies and cultural hegemony of British colonialism.