Description
Selected Poems of Rupert Brooke.
Rupert Brooke was an early 20th century English poet known for his idealistic war sonnets. Born in 1887, he studied at Cambridge University where he befriended influential literary figures of the time. His early poetry was based on fantasy and romance, but as World War I broke out, his writing took on a more nationalistic tone. He enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and wrote the 1914 sonnet sequence “1914 & Other Poems” which includes his renowned war sonnets like “The Soldier” and “The Dead”. His poems romanticized war and sacrifice in service of one’s country. However, Brooke never experienced battle. In 1915, he died of sepsis from an infected mosquito bite while sailing to the Gallipoli campaign. Despite his limited war experience, his poetry is still celebrated for promoting nationalist pride during wartime.







