Question

In the poem After Blenheim
How does the speaker try to justify the war.

Answer 1

the speaker tries to justify the war by giving the example of old Kasper who seemed to be very delighted and pleasure taking of the war .He says to his grandchildren that it was famous victory.

Answer 2

Old Kaspar has a very common view regarding war. He tries to glorify the Battle of Blenheim although he was himself a sufferer of war. He calls the war a ‘famous victory’ and a ‘great victory’ repeatedly although he was not aware of the reason or any understanding of what good it could bring to the people.

Also, when his grandchildren Wilhelmine and Peterkin raised questions regarding wars, Old Kaspar stayed firm on his stand and said that it was a famous victory while the loss of property and lives were common and it is acceptable in such victories.

Old Kaspar’s battle glorification was not actually his fault completely. He was only a member of the large common mass whom false war propaganda was fed with.