the meaning of ‘pun’ and ‘satire’; how a writer uses comical alliteration and black humour to make a serious point
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The poet Siegfried Sassoon (pictured) fought in World War I and won the Military Cross for his courage in carrying one of his men to safety through heavy artillery fire. Although he was a hero, he was so angry at the fact that hundreds of thousands of men were being slaughtered in horrific battles that he began to write anti-war poems saying the army commanders were wasting soldiers’ lives.
Base Details by Siegfried Sassoon
Top Tip
Satire uses humour or exaggeration to make something or someone look ridiculous. It criticises stupidity or corruption. It could be called ‘angry comedy’. This poem is a satire. The tone is angry, bleak and savage but also funny. It makes the Major look ridiculous and it pities the soldiers.
D 56
If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath, I’d live with scarlet Majors at the Base, And speed glum heroes up the line to death. You’d see me with my puffy petulant face, Guzzling and gulping in the best hotel, Reading the Roll of Honour. ‘Poor young chap,’ I’d say – ‘I used to know his father well; Yes, we’ve lost heavily in this last scrap.’ And when the war is done and youth stone dead, I’d toddle safely home and die – in bed.
Top Tip
A pun is a play on words that have different meanings. The title of this poem by Siegfried Sassoon, ‘Base Details’, has two puns. ‘Base’ is a military operations building; but ‘base’ also means low, disgraceful or shameful. ‘Details’ means military routines, but also refers to the facts and details of war.
