Death, an Altercation of War Thomas Hardy, the writer of “The Man He Killed” and within the poem, the death of a man is just an altercation of war. “Thomas Hardy was born in the village of Higher Bockhampton, in Dorset, England, where he continued to spend considerable time throughout his life” (Krueger). “Between 1865 and 1867 Hardy wrote many poems, none of which were published. In 1867 he returned to Dorchester and, while continuing to work in architecture, began to write novels in his spare time. Hardy became convinced that if he was to make a living writing, he would have to do so as a novelist” (Napierkowski 167). “Hardy continued to write until just before his death in 1928” ( Napierkowski). In “The Man He Killed” is the man he killed just an altercation of war or is it just a quarrel between two men? “"The Man He Killed," first published in 1902, has a message that is timeless; its subject matter is the curious nature of war that allows for such behavior as killing a man with whom, under more mundane circumstances, you would sit sharing drinks”(Overview). The quote provides evidence in the dispute between the men is a nature of war. …show more content…
In line 17 of the poem it says “Yes; quaint and curious war is.” “Now the speaker gives some thought to the condition of war. The word “quaint” is an unusual one to use here. One can think of it as a word which describes antique shops, not a war, but it can also be taken to mean cunning. Still, the explanation point suggests a tone that is not dire but almost ponderingly wonderous and the word “curious,” while suggesting perplexion, does not suggest despair that another speaker in the same situation might have voiced” (Napierkowsk