Topic: 'The Kiss' by Siegfried Sassoon: What about a romantic title?

[Stefanie]

Hello everyone,
I'd like to talk about the poem 'The Kiss' written by Siegfried
Sassoon. When I read the poem for the first time, I didn't quite
understand what is was about. Afterwards someone explained me what the
content really was about. Now, I still have a little problem
concerning the title: 'The Kiss'. I read several war poems and most of
them deal with the sadness, uselessness and brutality of the war.
Other poems deal with happiness (Concert Party: Busseboom) or
friendship (Two fusiliers) or even love (Vera Britain). Now, this
title 'The Kiss' is, according to me, a romantic even loveable title
in times of war. Has the poet chosen the right title for the poem? Or
has it something to do with those things: Siegfried S. found himself
incapable to use a bayonet (he was a soldier and lifelong friend with
Edmund Blunden). I heard the kiss is the exact moment when the bayonet
stabs the body of the soldier who is about to die. Why is it called
the 'kiss'? It sounds so romantic when something bad happened. I can't
understand why the poet used this title for such a horrible act.
Perhaps, it's a figure of speech, I'm not sure: ' a deadly kiss'? What
do you think?

[David Hughes]

In local English there is a kind of joke made about someone who has turned events in a wrong or unlucky direction: we say "well, that's the kiss of death" - an ironic reference to the kiss of life which is artificial respiration or resuscitation.
 
In addition, it is historically true that one man famous for giving bayonet-fighting lectures to the troops used to say "The bullet and the bayonet are brother and sister."
 
Some people also admit that killing can give a soldier the sort of thrill that comes with sex.
 
David
 
> Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:57:20 -0800
> Subject: Topic: 'The Kiss' by Siegfried Sassoon: What about a romantic title?
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> To: ww1...@googlegroups.com

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[DJ]

Without getting too graphic; Sassoon refers here (I think) to the
British habit of using one word, loving in its context, for another,
contrary action.

There are expressions such as a 'Miners' kiss; a Glaschu kiss which
refer to headbutts.

The Brit Army teaches recruits that 'close contact with the bayonet'
is their final redress......

I also think that in this poem, Sassoon expresses his homoeroticism.
Though he was never comfortable with either the poem or being gay.

On all points, I will await replies....

[Margaret Crane]

It is, of course, a metaphor, and meant to be shocking. But SS may also have
been acknowledging a strain in English Romantic poetry which makes something
loveable, even erotic, out of death and pain. "Ode to a Nightingale", by the
poet John Keats, who lived almost a century earlier, is a key text.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stefanie" <stefa...@gmail.com>
To: "World War One Literature" <ww1...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2010 2:57 PM
Subject: Topic: 'The Kiss' by Siegfried Sassoon: What about a romantic
title?

[Stefanie Vandewalle]

Hello David

 

I thank you for your explanation. I understand it now. In the beginning it was a little bit confusing, because I wasn't that into war poems. But now it's clear to me.

Yes, indeed, in his poem he mentions ' Brother Lead and Sister Steal', referring to the bullet and the bayonet.

 

You say, when a soldier kills, it is comparable to a sort of thrill that comes with sex. Do you mean by that, that the soldier is killing, killing and killing, without stopping because he produces a hormone called adrenalin. When you are stuck in a certain situation, in war for example, you do not have a lot of options:  you run away or you fight. I'm not sure if I'm right about this theory, but I can give it a try. The release of adrenalin gives you a sort of power, can I call it like that?, to fight. Because you are fighting (as a result of producing adrenalin), you have a bigger chance to survive. You compare this killing to the thrill that comes with sex: adrenalin has also to do with a high blood pressure - if I may be so straight - and this has something to do with sex too.

 

Stefanie

 

 

2010/1/28 David Hughes <hafo...@hotmail.com>

[Stefanie Vandewalle]

Hello DJ,

Thank you for your explanation. I've read it very attentive, but I didn't quite understand what you mean by ' a Glaschu kiss'.

Yes, I also learned th

2010/1/29 DJ <djd...@googlemail.com>

[Stefanie Vandewalle]

Hello again,

The other message I've sent was a mistake: something went wrong when I was writing my text: sorry for that.

As I was saying: Thank you for your explanation. I've read it very attentive, but I didn't quite understand what you mean by ' a Glaschu kiss'.
Yes, I also learned that Sassoon was gay adn that he felt dissatisfied with the poem, because "it didn't show any sign of satire". What did he mean by that?

 

Stefanie

2010/1/29 DJ <djd...@googlemail.com>

[DJ]

On the first point; glaschu (Gallic)=glesca (Scots) =glasgow (English)

A city in Alba (Gallic)= Scotia (Scots)= Scotland (English)

Scotland has several languages, I have become accustomed to spelling
the name of their city the way Scots tell me they prefer it.

Apologies for any confusion.

With regard to Sassoon's comment about lack of "satire".

I think he, retrospectively realised how stark the poem was, implying
it also lacked humour.

Satire, is of course distinguished from other forms of comedic wit by
the way it mocks the object by imitating and slightly exaggerating its
characteristics. Perhaps Sassoon felt that he had simply described
rather than satirised, his subject

On 10 Feb, 14:04, Stefanie Vandewalle <stefanie...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello again,
> The other message I've sent was a mistake: something went wrong when I was
> writing my text: sorry for that.
> As I was saying: Thank you for your explanation. I've read it very
> attentive, but I didn't quite understand what you mean by ' a Glaschu kiss'.
>
> Yes, I also learned that Sassoon was gay adn that he felt dissatisfied with
> the poem, because "it didn't show any sign of satire". What did he mean by
> that?
>
> Stefanie
>

> 2010/1/29 DJ <djdj...@googlemail.com>

> > ww1lit+un...@googlegroups.com<ww1lit%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>

> > .
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