Stephen Spender's poem "The Express" is a powerful and emotive depiction of the loss of innocence and the harsh realities of war. The poem is structured as a series of vignettes, each presenting a different image or idea that contributes to the overall theme of the poem.
The first image that Spender presents is that of a child's toy train, "the express," which is described as being "polished and bright." This toy train represents the innocence and carefree joy of childhood, a time when the horrors of war seem far removed and unimaginable. However, as the poem progresses, the images become darker and more ominous, as the train is transformed into a symbol of destruction and death.
The second image in the poem is that of a soldier, "a man in khaki," who is standing on a platform as the train passes by. This soldier represents the reality of war, the harsh and brutal conditions that soldiers must endure in order to protect their country and their way of life. The image of the soldier is a stark contrast to the innocent joy of the toy train, and serves to highlight the loss of innocence that occurs as a result of war.
The final image in the poem is that of the bombed-out city, "the ruined town," which serves as a reminder of the devastation and destruction that war brings. This image is particularly poignant, as it serves to underscore the human cost of war and the countless lives that are lost in the pursuit of victory.
In conclusion, Stephen Spender's "The Express" is a powerful and emotive depiction of the loss of innocence and the harsh realities of war. Through the use of vivid imagery and symbolism, the poem captures the devastating impact that war has on individuals and societies, and serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict.
The meaning of express by Stephen spender?
Stephen Spender has made fine use of figures of speech such as personification, alliteration, and simile in the the opening stanza of the poem. Steaming through metal landscape on her lines She plunges new eras of wild happiness Where speed throws up strange shapes, broad curves And parallels clean like the steel of guns. Speeding along the open countryside, the Express train becomes an object of mystery. It is now she begins to sing-at first quite low Then loud, and at last with a jazzy madness- The song of her whistle screaming at curves, Of deafening tunnels, brakes, innumerable bolts. The world of machines and nature go hand in hand in the poem.
Give a critical analysis of the poem "The Express" by Stephen Spender.
According to the poet, the songs horn of the train is better than that of birds which break with honey buds. Similarly, there is no rhyme scheme, yet Spender does include two instances of rhyme. No, although Nero almost bankrupted the empire he was a big spender and overly generous the borders of the empire were secure and a peace was negotiated with Rome's perennial enemy, Parthia. Without bowing and with restrained unconcern She passes the houses which humbly crowd outside, The gasworks, and at last the heavy page Of death, printed by gravestones in the cemetery. There is beauty and charm in the machine, and feminine qualities are attributed to the Express. In the first paragraph the poet introduces some of the things they do.
Poem: The Express by Stephen Spender
The glorious running of the train to its destination is vividly pictured by the poet. She here refers to the train personification. THE EXPRESS After the first powerful plain manifesto The black statement of pistons, without more fuss But gliding like a queen, she leaves the station. No, although Nero almost bankrupted the empire he was a big spender and overly generous the borders of the empire were secure and a peace was negotiated with Rome's perennial enemy, Parthia. At the beginning, it is soft and gets louder when it is heard from near distance. Bring your Excel file to class on a flash drive or laptop.
