The Night of the Soldier

Name: The Night of the Soldier
Author: Pablo Neruda

The poem explores the theme of love and desire through the voice of a soldier who has been away from his beloved for a long time. The speaker yearns for physical intimacy and expresses his longing to be reunited with his lover, describing the pain of their separation and the joy he expects when they are together again.

By Pablo Neruda · First published 1957 · Genre: Poetry, War Literature, Existentialism · 722 words

First lines

I play the night of the soldier, the time of the man without melancholy or extermination, of the type cast far by the ocean and a wave, and who does not know that the bitter water has separated him and that he is growing old, gradually and without fear, dedicated to what is normal in life, without cataclysms, without absences, living inside his skin and his suit, sincerely obscure. So, then, I see myself with stupid and gay comrades, who smoke and spit and drink horribly, and who suddenly fall down deathly sick. Because, where are the aunt, the bride, the mother-in-law, the sister-in-law of the soldier? Perhaps they die of ostracism or malaria, they grow cold, yellow, and they emigrate to a star of ice, to a cool planet, to rest, at last, among girls and glacial fruits, and their corpses, their poor fiery corpses, will go guarded by alabaster angels to sleep far from the flame and the ash.

What this Textopian page supports

The Night of the Soldier is listed on Textopian as a poem by Pablo Neruda, dated 1957 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Pablo Neruda
Date: 1957 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, War Literature, Existentialism, Surrealism, Modernism
Length: 722 words
Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Genres

Poetry — The work is written in a poetic style, utilizing vivid imagery and metaphorical language.
War Literature — The themes revolve around the experiences and reflections of a soldier, addressing the impact of war on individuals.
Existentialism — The text explores themes of existence, identity, and the human condition, reflecting on life and mortality.
Surrealism — The imagery and dream-like quality of the narrative align with surrealist elements.