Santosh asked 7 years ago
What is the tone of the last two lines of the poem After Blenheim by Robert Southey? What according to you, the poet wants to convey in these lines?
‘Why that I cannot tell,’ said he,
‘But ’twas a famous victory.’
The tone in the above lines is ironical and sarcastic. Ironical enough, though the old man, Kaspar did not know what good the Battle of Blenheim had done to the people, he held to his belief that it was a famous victory. And the poet is sarcastic in depicting how the propaganda of warmongers has been indoctrinated among people.
The poet’s message is against war and warmongering. He wants to convey that no heroism or patriotism is attached with war. This is rather a propaganda created by some cunning people for their own benefit. War cannot be ‘great’ or ‘famous’ in any sense, as it results in loss of lives and property. Common people need to realise this truth and raise a war against war.
The tone is ironical and satiric. The poet wants to question the utility of war which causes destruction of human lives and properties.
The tone of the poem is ironical. Though old Kaspar has no justified answer for the cause of war, he constantly says that it is a famous and great victory.