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English 101 November twenty-one, 2012 The Star Spangled Banner The Star Spangled Banner is an extremely powerful and moving song that not simply defines each of our country as being a free and independent land, but it also gives us with the struggles all of us went through to be who were. The Celebrity Spangled Banner originated while the poem “Defense of Fort McHenry” in 1814 by Frances Scott Important. The countrywide anthem has not been written throughout the American Wave, contrary to popular belief.

It was, in fact , written in the Conflict of 1812. Although the composition has four unique stanzas, we normally only identify the first one, and frequently the second stanza as well.

The anthem, in spite of its patriotic values, is a superb example of abundant English literary works that symbolizes our persons even after 200 years. But , in fact, the song has a wide variety of meanings and interpretations deeply embedded in the historical relevance it symbolizes. The initially line of the song reads, “O state can you discover by the dawn’s early mild? What therefore proudly we hailed on the twilight’s last gleaming? ” Translated directly into today’s contemporary language, what this means is, “hey generally there, can you see by early morning what was generally there before the sun set last night evening? Frances Scott Important introduces the topic of this track by snagging the reader’s attention. This kind of first line of the tune makes viewers wonder what Key is discussing, making them wish to read the poem in further. When ever Key mention’s the “dawn’s early light” he is talking about an early morning, a new day and a new start. The “twilight’s last gleaming” suggests a really special time of day, right before direct sunlight is placing and there is a small streak of light that appears in the sky. The two of these verses demonstrate a lot of symbolism.

Yet again, we must utilize historical circumstance of this composition to make that means of the lyrics. The Conflict of 1812 was a war fought by British and Americans. Crucial was over a British ship when he composed this poem, negotiating together with the officers to release some of the American hostages. Having been watching the battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore. The battle took place back in the evening, when the American banner was still up and traveling. In these lines, Key is asking himself, “Will the flag still be up tomorrow morning? ” The twilight’s previous gleaming can represent wish.

Key still has faith and trust in his country. Actually in the midst of a bloodthirsty fight, Key wished that he would see the American flag the next morning. He hoped he would see a sign of willpower and power instead of poor downfall. He wanted his country to reign through the peril it oversaw. In case the American flag was still not up by simply “the dawn’s early light”, it would represent defeat the British. The other two lines of the Celebrity Spangled Banner places focus on the American flag. Today, our banner is commonly known as the stars and stripes.

Crucial noticed both of these distinct features and decided to define the American flag by “the stars and stripes”. History has it that there were two flags which were flown over Fort McHenry, one of them being a “storm flag”. This was the flag that was flown during the wet day plus the “perilous night” and the flag that was described in the first area of the Star Spangled Banner. This line displays the willpower of the American army. The flag is known as a key symbol of our nation. Key cleverly used this kind of patriotic symbol to show how persistent the soldiers had been, they retained fighting through the sanguine fighting of the nighttime.

When Important woke up simply by morning, a new flag was hoisted up, apart from the thunderstorm flag that he observed the previous night. Fort McHenry was proudly flying its much larger “garrison flag”. This flag measured 30 foot. by 42 ft., larger than a modern day time school bus. Key assumed this was similar flag that was flown the previous night time, when the United kingdom had bitten. Regardless of whether it absolutely was the surprise flag or not, the sight from the American banner flying over the fort after a gory battle gave hope and self-confidence to its citizens.

This once again mentioned the power of America as a strong independent land. The banner indirectly advised the world to prevent underestimate the potential for America. The next line of the poem is incredibly awkwardly phrased and located, once again highlighting the time period Essential wrote the poem. “O’er the ramparts we watched, were and so gallantly streaming” is mentioning the previous series. Ramparts will be protective wall surfaces. In this framework, Key is talking about the walls of Fort McHenry. He extremely cleverly uses the word “ramparts” to describe them.

The ramparts were constructed in 1776 to shield the city of Baltimore in the event the British tried to attack through the Chesapeake Bay. Following your War of 1812 was brought to focus, a local committee raised above $400, 1000 to strengthen the walls to protect the citizens in the case of an unexpected Uk attack. The word rampart shows that the individuals were able to enjoy the battle with a sense of security as the soldiers risked their lives for their region. It confirms the expression of sacrifice. Above the whole picture, Key once again mentions the American banner “gallantly streaming”.

This gives the idea that this notion of sacrifice is very much American. Costly American soldier’s duty to lay his life straight down for his country. The next few lines start to deeply invoke feelings from the audience: “And the rocket’s reddish glare, the bombs filled in air flow, gave proof through the night which our flag would still be there” Through the battle of Fort McHenry, the British had more than 15 battle ships, every armed with large artillery and one using a explode launcher. Overnight, as the rockets had been fired in the air, they will illuminated the sky with a bloody reddish colored glow.

That red shine showed the British where the American banner was so they would understand where to goal. But , right here comes the notion of good that comes away of nasty. While the United kingdom threw the bombs surrounding this time to destroy the flag, they ended up being illuminating the flag, supplying hope to all of the patriotic soldiers to keep struggling. The purpose of the United kingdom was to damage the American flag, in line with the poem by simply Frances Scott Key. The American flag was the image of America. It was the identity states of America, because it represented the trip of America.

The switching 13 red and white stripes revealed represented the moments of bloodshed and light in the us. The fifty stars stand for each of the strong independent states. By putting your stars in the same package, it displays unity among the list of various declares. By eliminating the banner, the English are burning away the identity from the Americans. The ultimate line of the first stanza summarizes the entire message of the song: “Oh, say that Celebrity , Spangled Banner however wave? O’er the land of the totally free and the home of the daring! ” This line evidently states the fact that flag states represents freedom and independence for all.

So long as the flag shall influx, it will mark America while “the terrain of the totally free and the residence of the brave”. Throughout the track, Key communicates a main character journey, a journey through hell and back in to the light. This is actually the story of Fort McHenry. The People in america were plunged in to a world of blood and gore. However the outcome from the battle was very significant. The American flag became a physical representation of good over evil. It was the marking of the triumph of America, once again. The battle was obviously a memory of the importance of our “Star- Spangled Banner”.

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