Observation

A good number of candidates attempted this question. Although many of them could not explain what was strange about the meeting, they were able to explain that it took place between two former adversaries who agreed the war was futile.

The required answer should include the following points:

• The meeting which is the poem’s subject takes place in the “hereafter”, but paradoxically, the dialogue focuses not on events in that world, but in the world of reality.

• The dialogue deals with issues which are of utmost importance to the living not the dead.
• The dominant theme of the poem is the futility of war and the poet uses characters to emphasize it.
• The meeting takes place between two former adversaries, one of whom has his life taken by another. They put aside their differences and take a cold hard look at their lives and exploits.