All 4 entries tagged Second World War

'Moi shall return.'

MacArthur's vow as he left: 'Moi shall return' (2.XX.ii).

General Douglas MacArthur was one of the most decorated soldiers in US history (Bib:33). In 1944, he took back the Philippines, fulfilling his earlier vow to return, 'I shall return', changed by The Office of War Information to 'We shall return' (Bib:34).

Amanda Hopkins : 08 Jun 2008 11:59 |  Tags: Context Douglas Macarthur General Macarthur Glossary Moi Shall Return Philippines Places Second World War Usa |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Second World War

Amanda Hopkins : 23 Jun 2007 11:56 |  Tags: Context Second World War |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Pro Rommel

Pro Rommel, pro mori (1.V.i).

Latin, meaning 'For Rommel, for death'. Walcott's use of Latin carries echoes of the Aeneid and the foundation of Latin Italy. Erwin Rommel, a German general, led the Afrika Korps in North Africa and was defeated by the British at El Alamein in 1942 (Bib:PWE).

Amanda Hopkins : 22 Jun 2007 11:38 |  Tags: Africa Context Glossary History Pro Rommel Second World War |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

khaki shirt

khaki shirt/and capacious shorts in which he'd served with Monty (1.V.i).

Walcott uses colour throughout Omeros to great effect. Here, the inclusion of 'khaki' carries overtones of colonialism as well as the military context to which it is applied here. 'Monty' is Bernard Law Montgomery, later First Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, commander of the British 8th Army in World War II, who defeated Rommel and the Afrika Korps at El Alamein in 1942 (Bib:PWE), a campaign in which Walcott's Major Plunkett fought.

Amanda Hopkins : 22 Jun 2007 11:37 |  Tags: Africa Characters Colours Context Dennis Plunkett History Khaki Shirt Second World War |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem