The Man He Killed MCQs and Summary

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman | Last updated: June 10, 2025

Summary:

Thomas Hardy’s The Man He Killed is a dramatic monologue that explores the irony and senselessness of war. The speaker, a soldier, reflects on how he killed an enemy in battle—someone who, under different circumstances, he might have shared a drink with. The poem highlights the absurdity of war, where men who have no personal grievances against each other are forced to fight and kill. Hardy uses simple language and an ironic tone to emphasize the tragic consequences of blind duty and war’s illogical nature.

The Man He Killed
The Man He Killed
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1. : Who wrote The Man He Killed?



2. : What is the poem’s main theme?



3. : How does the soldier feel about killing his enemy?



4. : What poetic form is used in The Man He Killed?



5. : Which literary device is most prominent in the poem?



6. : What does the speaker say he and the enemy soldier might have done in a different situation?



7. : What does the repetition of the word “because” in the poem suggest?



8. : Why did the speaker shoot the man?



9. : What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?



10. : How does Hardy portray war in the poem?



11. : What tone does the speaker use throughout the poem?



12. : Why does Hardy use informal, conversational language in the poem?



13. : What does the poem suggest about the soldiers on both sides of a war?



14. : What is ironic about the soldier’s justification for killing?



15. : What is the historical context of the poem?



 

Question Answer
Poem Name The Man He Killed
Poet Thomas Hardy
Year Published 1902
Poem Type Dramatic monologue
Verse Form Quatrains with ABCB rhyme scheme
Main Subject The irony and senselessness of war
Themes War, Fate, Guilt, Irony
Tone Reflective, Uncertain, Ironic
Poetic Devices Used Irony, Repetition, Simple Language
Symbolism The soldier represents all men forced into war
Historical Context Written in response to the Boer War
Main Message War forces ordinary men to kill each other without real reason.

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