John McCrae In Flanders Fields (teacher)

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

De Eerste Wereldoorlog

2. De Grote Oorlog

John McCrae

In this lesson  you will:

-read information about John McCrae's connection with WW1

-listen to Flanders Fields by John McCrae

-analyse the poem

-learn how Remembrance Day is celebrated

-realize the importance of poppies on Remembrance Day

In Flanders Fields is one of the most famous war poems. It was written in 1915 by a Canadian military doctor, John McCrae, who saw his friends die on the battlefields in Belgium during World War 1. Flanders, referred to in the poem, is a county in northwest Belgium.

John McCrae wrote the poem in less than an hour. He was very upset after the death of a friend who died in battle, and expressed his feelings through the poem. After writing it, he tossed it in the garbage! Another officer picked it up and sent it to some newspapers in England, where it was soon published.

First impression?

recitation

https://youtu.be/K6BlOkpdkg8

recitation

https://youtu.be/FydFyyVHXQU

Which recitation is better? Why?

song

https://youtu.be/1QBtdzXGYmo

song

https://youtu.be/ZPgZnhtTwmM

song

http://www.greatwar.nl/contemporary/romislokus/romislokus.html

Which song do you prefer? Why?

https://clpe.org.uk/poetryline/poetic-forms-and-devices

1 In Flanders Fields is written in the "voice" of a certain type of soldier. What type of soldier? 

2 In Flanders Fields is a French rondeau. What are the characteristics of a French rondeau?

3 The symbols used in this poem are: poppies, torch, rows , larks 

What do they represent?

4 Why has the author chosen poppies instead of another flower?

5 Comment on other poetic devices in Flanders Fields.

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Summary of In Flanders Fields

Popularity of “In Flanders Fields”: John McCrae, a famous Canadian poet and artist, wrote “The Flanders Field” which is also one of the famous lyrical poems. It was first published in December 1915 in England’s Punch. The poem pays tribute to the dead soldiers, who lost the battle of their lives while defending their country in war. The popularity of the poem lies in the fact that it shows the vulnerability of life and also how ‘poppy’ flowers have become a symbol of honor to the fallen soldiers in World War One and Two.

“In Flanders Field” as a Representative of Hope: The poem reinforces desires of the fallen soldiers who left the transient world, but their souls are still attached to their lands. The poppies and endless rows of crosses mark the graves of those who lost their lives during the war. The poet, very artistically, tries to create empathy between his readers and the dead soldiers by explaining that once they were alive and now, they all have passed and lie peacefully in Flanders Fields. And the larks are flying and singing above the land. Enthralled with hope, the poet encourages the living to take the baton and continue the combat against enemies. And, if they are not going to take up the arms, the dead will not be able to sleep peacefully in their graves, haunted by their failure.

Major Themes in “In Flanders Fields”: Juxtapositions of life, death, and hope are the significant themes layered in the poem. The poet has used vibrant imagery along with other literary elements to incorporate these themes. The crosses show the number of lives, which we have lost in the war. Also, poppies and singing of the larks stand for life and hope, which means all is not lost. Therefore, those who are alive should fight and honor the dead and their legacy.

John has used symbols in this poem such as, “poppies” symbolizes the dead souls and “torch” is the symbol of hope. Similarly, “rows of poppies” symbolize the rows of dead soldiers and “larks” are the symbol of life.

This is a poem of remembrance, a call for those living not to forget the dead who are buried in a foreign land. It demands that the living remember why the fallen died, so that they did not die in vain. This is one of the most famous poems of the First World War.

STRUCTURE: This poem uses a specifically French form, dating back to the 13th Century, known as a rondeau. A rondeau traditionally has 13 lines of 8 syllables length; it has three stanzas, with rhyme scheme AABBA AABC AABBAC; and it features a four syllable refrain (marked C in the notation previous) that repeats the opening words of the poem. Check these against McCrae’s poem: you’ll find he follows the form quite perfectly. As writing a sonnet, composing a rondeau is demanding exercise for a poet.

On the issue of rhyme, it’s notable that McCrae’s poem utilises just two different rhyme sounds: the ‘I’ sounds of sky/fly/lie/high/die and the ‘O’ sounds of blow/row/below/ago/glow/foe/throw/grow. And, of course, ‘fields’, in that repeated refrain, ‘In Flanders fields’. This makes the poem almost chantlike, and lends conviction to its final stanza in particular.

It is defined as thought in a verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example,

“To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.”

Popoies  thrive and grow on the fields freshly manured by blood. Poppies were also associated with sleep (opium being a poppy derivate) and McCrae, being a doctor, would have been conscious of this: the idea of sleeping under the poppies is revived in the last lines.

“We are the dead.”: the poem turns, surprisingly, to the dead, who are given voice by the poet. This is a powerful and emotive turn, a direct address for the living by the fallen soldiers

“In the sky, the larks”: these birds, traditional poetic symbols of natural beauty and freedom, contrast strongly with the world below. As often, nature provides an idealized backdrop to the war that provides a contrast with man’s immoral actions.

“Take up our quarrel with the foe”: the message of the poem is to continue the war.

“we throw the torch… hold it high”: emotive image of passing on a burning torch to light the way forward. It must be held high— as a precious object of pride.

“if ye break faith with us who die / We shall not sleep…”: the suggestion is of a curse on those who do not remember the dead; an old and powerful idea.

Analysis of Literary Devices in “In Flanders Fields”

Literary devices are techniques that writers use to create a special and pointed effect in their texts. Their appropriate use can help readers understand the simple text on a deeper level. The analysis of some of the literary devices used in this poem has been given below.

Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as /f/ sound in “In Flanders fields, the poppies blow” and /s/ sound in “We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,”

Imagery: Imagery is used to make the readers perceive things with their five senses. John has used imagery appealing to the sense of sight such as, “In Flanders fields, the poppies blow”, “sunset glow” and “Between the crosses, row on row.”

Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. John has used a lot of symbols in this poem such as, “poppies” symbolizes the dead souls and “torch” is the symbol of hope. Similarly, “rows of poppies” symbolize the rows of dead soldiers and “larks” are the symbol of life.

Enjambment: It is defined as thought in a verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example,

“To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.”

i

John has used symbols in this poem such as, “poppies” symbolizes the dead souls and “torch” is the symbol of hope. Similarly, “rows of poppies” symbolize the rows of dead soldiers and “larks” are the symbol of life.

The poppies being red was the perfect analogy of the vast numbers of the injured and dying soldiers and the blood that was spilled in Flanders Fields. He wanted to express to the world and have them know how terrible it was. He tried his utmost as a doctor and surgeon to mend these soldiers and to keep up but he was terribly frustrated as he couldn’t keep up to the numbers. He possibly had such sorrow that those who died would not be remembered but forgotten. In the end he is asking all to promise to remember these soldiers who fought for their country and yet died in doing so.

One of the comments

For me this poem sums up the awfulness of The Great War far more than many of the longer works. Both my Grandfathers fought in Flanders ,and both carried the horror of what they has seem throughout their lives. 

In Vlaamse velden

In Vlaamse velden klappen rozen open

Tussen witte kruisjes, rij op rij,

Die onze plaats hier merken, wijl in ’t zwerk

De leeuweriken fluitend werken, onverhoord

Verstomd door het gebulder op de grond

Wij zijn de doden. Zo-even leefden wij.

Wij dronken dauw. De zon zagen wij zakken.

Wij kusten en werden gekust. Nu rusten wij

In Vlaamse velden voor de Vlaamse kust.

Toe: trekt gij ons krakeel aan met de vijand.

Aan u passeren wij, met zwakke hand, de fakkel.

Houd hem hoog. Weest gíj de helden. Laat de doden

Die wij zijn niet stikken of wij vinden slaap noch

Vrede - ook al klappen zoveel rozen open

In zovele Vlaamse velden.

 

Make it more modern.

John has used symbols in this poem such as, “poppies” symbolizes the dead souls and “torch” is the symbol of hope. Similarly, “rows of poppies” symbolize the rows of dead soldiers and “larks” are the symbol of life.

The poem, written from the point of view of dead soldiers, describes how men sacrificed their lives in war. They ask that people carry on their fight and never forget them. 

As a result of the poem, poppies, the flowers referred to in the poem, have become an international symbol for remembrance.

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What does this picture clarify?

02:25

How is Remembrance Day celebrated?

02:51

Which countries use poppies as a symbol on Remembrance Day?

04:37

How do volunteers raise money?

05:23

In what way does the last part of this video remind you of Sassoon's poem Does it Matter?

00:41

Why is Remembrance Day a better name than Armistice Day?

01:01

When is Remembrance Day celebrated? Why then?

02:47

Differences?/Similarities?
all over the world

03:41

Why is Lest we Forget an appropriate theme of Remembrance Day?

Do something creative with In Flanders Fields

(or another war poem)