Poetry Comparisons - PBworks

1 Poetry Comparisons Written by Shakespeare in 1599, the St. Crispin s day speech is one of the most famous rally cries in literary history. On October 25, 1415, the English forces, lead by a young 27 year old Henry V, invade France and pull off a stunning victory against the superior French forces in the battle of Agincourt. On the eve of battle, Henry initiates the first walk-around-management by visiting campfires in disguise - "a touch of Harry in the night." He finds his officers and soldiers totally demoralized. The next morning, minutes before the battle begins, he incorporates what he learned the night before to give one of the greatest motivational speeches in history. It's now known as the St. Crispin's Day speech. Three qualities of that speech stand out, all with merits for overcoming the long odds of the current crisis. First, Henry turned deficit into asset. With the English soldiers outnumbered by five to one or more, the king turns the odds upside down, arguing that to have more soldiers would require a sharing of the triumph that is about to be theirs.

2 Second, he brings the future into the present. With the battle just minutes away, the king paints a vision of future glory that will be achieved through victory in battle. Third, Henry V assumes victory and paints a picture of what the future will be like after their stunning performance, an outcome that can only be achieved if they rally together. St. Crispin s Day Speech if we must die Claude McKay if we must die , let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursed lot. if we must die , O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! O kinsmen! We must meet the common foe! Though far outnumbered, let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow! What though before us lies the open grave?

3 Like men we ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! (Act IV, scene iii, Henry V, William Shakespeare) ..If we are mark'd to die, we are enow To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. [..]. Rather proclaim it, [..] That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made And crowns for convoy put into his purse: We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us. This day is called the feast of Crispian: He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.

4 And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.' Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember with advantages What feats he did that day: [..] And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remember'd; We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. Applying what you know about Shakespeare s speech and Mckay s poem, compare/contrast the two in terms of their tone, structure, subject material, themes/topics, and intended effect. Background Source: Ken Adelman, The Washington Post.