EXPLORING THE ECHOES OF POWER AND VULNERABILITY IN HOUSMAN'S SELECTED POEMS THROUGH CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Abstract

The interplay of power and vulnerability is explored in this study. The selected poems 1887 (1896), Revolution, The day of battle, Solider from the war returning, The welsh marches, and The laws of God, the laws of man of AE Housman are examined through Fairclough three dimensional model of critical discourse analysis. The research examines how linguistic choices, emotional restraint, and sociocultural contexts construct themes of agency, helplessness, and existential struggle in six poems AE Housman. The framework of Fairclough allows a multi-tiered analysis of imagery, tone, and structure, as well as sociopolitical explanations of power dynamics. There is a possibility that this is true. In the face of mortality, war, and societal constraints, Housman shows a tension between collective ideals of duty, masculinity, and imperial glory, and individual powerlessness. Textual analysis highlights the differences between control and vulnerability. Victorian-era emotional restraint is both a marker of strength and a suppression of inner turmoil. The poems critique systems of power militarism, monarchy, and moral dogma that perpetuate cycles of sacrifice and make people outsiders in a world shaped by external forces. The study shows how Housman puts vulnerability as an inherent human condition rather than weakness. His work challenges romanticized narratives of heroism, exposing the psychological toll of societal demands on soldiers, veterans, and marginalized voices. By analyzing Housman's critique of power structures with historical context, this research contributes to literary scholarship. The study shows that poetry can be used to interrogating cultural norms and to amplify silenced vulnerabilities within oppressive frameworks.