How does Betchman portray the weakness of English Middle Classes in Ess

How does Betchman portray the weakness of English Middle Classes in Westminster Abbey? In the poem 'In Westminster Abbey' the poet (John Betchman) speaks in from the view of a lady living in the English middle classes in the period, in which the Second World War took place. The poet has set the poem in the head of the heart of England's church, Westminster Abbey. The poet narrates to the reads the feelings of this lady and her feelings of the war, but what the poet does in mainly stereotype all women in the English middle classes at the time. In the following I shall talk about how poet portrays the weakness of the English middle classes. The poem starts of with the lady talking to god and continues through out with this lady talking to god. The poet sustains a continues rhythm through out with a regular four beats in each line, for example 'LET me TAKE this OTHER glove OFF' , this technique retains the readers interest in the poem since the this technique has been used consistently through out the poem. An additional technique that the poet has used is couplets this is another method that stays persistent through the poem, for example in the first stanza lines two and four; 'Let me take this other glove off As the vox Humana swells And the beauteous fields of Eden Bask beneath the Abbey bells.' This is another example of the poet trying to keep the reader attracted to the poem through out, and keep a persistent flow. As one reads the poem they expected to realize that that the lady has a selfish attitude, this is shown in many aspects of the poem one of which is shown in the second stanza; 'Gracious Lord, OH BOMB THE GERMANS, Spare their women for thy sake, If that is not too ea... ...mpire, this I think the poet also narrates this fact in the third stanza; 'Keep our Empire undismembered Guide our forces by Thy Hand,' Here the lady is asking God keep the Empire united and to guide them to victory. In conclusion the poet portrays a major weakness of the English middle classes in the poem 'In Westminster Abbey', although they were wealthy, well educated for the time's standards and considered as of a superior status than others. One is led to believe that they lacked the understanding and wisdom that people generally have today, also they were selfish and ironic which have learnt from lines like 'Don't let anyone bomb me' and 'If that is not too easy'. I have made these statements from the assumption that the reader is led to believe that this poem is a stereotype and a generalized view or opinion of the English middle classes.