No men are foreign

        NO MEN ARE FOREIGN


Theme

The poem advocates the concept of universal brotherhood and equality without any prejudices. The poet stresses on the futility of distinctions based on caste, colour, creed and nationality. All territories are man-made and divide brothers who are human beings with the same needs and sufferings. We all are dependent on the same resources for survival and are governed by the same human reactions. When we wage war against others, we only end up killing the innocent and abusing and purity of this planet.The dust and smoke caused by war weapons pollute the very air we all breathe.

 

Message

The poem conveys the message of universal brotherhood. It underlines the fact that the people of different countries have the same physical, mental and emotional experience. Their fate is the same. They are in no way different, even though they wear different clothes and speak different languages. Nobody should be viewed as stranger and no country foreign.

Poetic Devices:

Rhyme scheme: The does not have any specific rhyming scheme. It is written in free verses.

Alliteration

Example:  a single body breaths (‘b’ sound is repeated)

                   Sleep, and strength (‘s’ sound is repeated)

Metaphor:

Example: War long winter starved (winter is used for starvation)

                  Fed by peaceful harvest (harvest is used for peace)

Repetition:

Example: Remember’ word is repeated 5 times in this poem. Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign’ is repeated in stanza 1 and stanza 5.

1.    Enjambment:  Enjambment is used in all the stanzas of the poem.

 

 

Additional Questions

Short Answer Questions

Q1. What does the poet ask us to remember?

Q2. What is war’s long winter?

Q3. What do you understand by ‘human earth?’

Q4. What is the irony in ‘uniform’?

Ans. Uniform is meant to hide individuality and give uniformity to all people. But unfortunately, uniform give rise to differences. Because every nation has a uniform, the world remains divided rather united.

Q5. How are the people fed and starved?

Q6. How can the common people be won over?

Long Answer Questions

Q1. To the war-torn humanity, amassing the weapons of war, the poem ‘No Men Are Foreign’ gives the message of love and universal brotherhood. Discuss it.

Q2. What relevance does the poem ‘No Men Are Foreign’ has in today’s world?

Q3. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.

            Remember they have eyes like ours that wake

            Or sleep, and strength that can be won

            By love. In every land is common life

            That all can recognize and understand.

 

(a) Who are ‘they’ in above lines?

(b) How are ‘they’ similar to us?

(c) Which line here means ‘love conquers all’?

(d) What kind of life can be found in every land? 

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