# The Statue of Sherman by St. Gaudens explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Henry van Dyke Jr..

## What happens

A brief poem honoring General Sherman's statue by St. Gaudens, celebrating his bravery in declaring war as hell and his role as a peace-loving soldier who endures conflict to save his country.

## Themes in this chapter

### Duty and Patriotism

Sherman's ride through hell to save his country's life exemplifies patriotic duty and sacrifice.

### Love and Sacrifice

The poem emphasizes Sherman's love of peace and his willingness to endure war for the nation's salvation.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The narrator reflects on the statue and Sherman's legacy.

## Key lines

> This is the soldier brave enough to tell The glory-dazzled world that 'war is hell'

This statue honors a soldier who had the courage to declare to a world obsessed with glory that war is truly hell.

_Highlights Sherman's honesty about the brutal reality of war._

> Lover of peace, he looks beyond the strife, And rides through hell to save his country's life.

Though he loved peace, he saw past the immediate conflict and endured the horrors of war to preserve his nation.

_Contrasts Sherman's peaceful nature with his necessary wartime actions._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_10_se/chapters/the-statue-of-sherman-by-st-gaudens
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_10_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_10_se/chapters