I thought when love for you died, I should die._x000D_ _x000D_ It's dead. Alone, most strangely, I live on.
If I should die, think only this of me: that there's some corner of a foreign field that is for ever England.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses a sense of belonging and enduring connection to one's homeland, even in death.
Rupert Brooke's quote reflects the deep emotional bond individuals have with their homeland. It suggests that even after death, a person’s identity and essence live on in a place that represents their origin, emphasizing the idea that one's roots remain significant regardless of where they find themselves. The 'foreign field' serves as a metaphor for places far from home, yet those places can carry the spirit of England, highlighting themes of patriotism and the lasting influence of one’s heritage.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a memorial service to honor fallen soldiers, this quote could be used to discuss their connection to their homeland.
More from Rupert Brooke
All quotes →But somewhere, beyond Space and Time, is wetter water, slimier slime! And there (they trust) there swimmeth one who swam ere rivers were begun, immense of fishy form and mind, squamous omnipotent, and kind.
Similar quotes
Young man," he said, "understand this: there are two Londons. There's London Above―that's where you lived―and then there's London Below―the Underside―inhabited by the people who fell through the cracks in the world. Now you're one of them. Good night.
When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.
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The kingdom of heaven is within us. The Jewish idea was a kingdom of heaven upon this earth. That was not the idea of Jesus.
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Suffering does not befall him who is without attachment to names and forms.