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Razzie-tazzie

  • Last seen on Nov 29 2:48 PM 2007. Member since June 13, 2007.
  • I am a 28 year old person
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  • on The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy, on June 13, 2007

    "Off-hand like"

    It's pretty obvious that the speaker (soldier) is complentating the actions of war. In the third stanza he is trying to convince himself that he had to shot the other soldier 'cause he was his 'foe'. That's a foot soldier's job, shoot the enemy, but he finds the whole situation absurd.
    "Off-hand like" means to just like randomly enlist, something you do out of the blue perhaps. The speaker is projecting himself and ponders the other soldier's motives for enlisting and thinks that maybe it might be for the same reasons as him.

    I hope that helps you Beth.