Where does the reference to 'the army swore in Flanders' come from?

It originates from Laurence Sterne's novel *Tristram Shandy* (1759), where the line 'Our armies swore terribly in Flanders' became one of the most frequently quoted phrases of the 18th and 19th centuries. By the time Field was writing, it was a familiar cultural reference for extreme profanity, and his readers would have caught the reference right away.

Is this poem anti-war?

Not exactly. Field isn't seriously addressing the horrors of war — he's cracking a joke about swearing. The military backdrop serves merely as a backdrop for the humor. The poem doesn't focus on violence, death, or suffering in any way.

Why does Field mention Chicago at the end?

Field worked as a newspaper columnist in Chicago, catering to a local audience. The joke at the end about dropping the city name is a playful nod — he flatters his readers by suggesting that Chicago is too respectable for such language, which is humorous considering that the city was known for its rough and rowdy reputation in the 1880s and 1890s.

Who is Corporal Sanders and is he a real historical figure?

Corporal Sanders seems to be a made-up character created for the poem. He acts as a humorous scapegoat — the soldier who allegedly kicked off the tradition of swearing in Flanders by griping about the locals' wooden shoes. His common name makes him sound believable, which adds to the humor.

What does 'vented their danders' mean?

'Dander' is an old, informal term for temper or anger—when someone says 'getting your dander up,' it means you're getting angry. Therefore, 'vented their danders' simply means they expressed their anger, in this instance through swearing. Field employs this mild, almost quaint language throughout the poem to create a contrast with the implied intensity of the swearing itself.

What is the rhyme scheme and does it have a name?

Each stanza adopts a ballad-like structure with alternating rhymes, finishing with a line that includes the word 'Flanders,' serving as a humorous refrain. While it isn't a rigidly defined form, it captures the essence of a broadside ballad — the sort of comic song that would have been sung or recited, aligning well with Field's newspaper humor style.

Is Eugene Field well known? Why don't more people read him today?

Field was incredibly popular during his lifetime, particularly for sentimental children's poems such as 'Wynken, Blynken, and Nod' and 'Little Boy Blue.' However, his reputation declined in the 20th century, partly because his sentimental style seemed outdated, and his comic journalism relied on specific cultural references that lost their impact over time. Nonetheless, poems like this one remain strong examples of 19th-century American newspaper humor.

The Annotated Edition

IN FLANDERS by Eugene Field

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

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This comic poem feigns shock at the awful swearing of soldiers in Flanders but never actually includes any swear words—just blank lines where the curses would be.

Poet: Eugene Field
Themes: art, freedom, identity

The PoemFull text

IN FLANDERS

Eugene Field

Through sleet and fogs to the saline bogs Where the herring fish meanders, An army sped, and then, 't is said, Swore terribly in Flanders: "--------!" "--------!" A hideous store of oaths they swore, Did the army over in Flanders! At this distant day we're unable to say What so aroused their danders; But it's doubtless the case, to their lasting disgrace, That the army swore in Flanders: "--------!" "--------!" And many more such oaths they swore, Did that impious horde in Flanders! Some folks contend that these oaths without end Began among the commanders, That, taking this cue, the subordinates, too, Swore terribly in Flanders: Twas "------------!" "--------" Why, the air was blue with the hullaballoo Of those wicked men in Flanders! But some suppose that the trouble arose With a certain Corporal Sanders, Who sought to abuse the wooden shoes That the natives wore in Flanders. Saying: "--------!" "--------" What marvel then, that the other men Felt encouraged to swear in Flanders! At any rate, as I grieve to state, Since these soldiers vented their danders Conjectures obtain that for language profane There is no such place as Flanders. "--------" "--------" This is the kind of talk you'll find If ever you go to Flanders. How wretched is he, wherever he be, That unto this habit panders! And how glad am I that my interests lie In Chicago, and not in Flanders! "----------------!" "----------------!" Would never go down in this circumspect town However it might in Flanders.

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

This comic poem feigns shock at the awful swearing of soldiers in Flanders but never actually includes any swear words—just blank lines where the curses would be. Field adopts the persona of a prim narrator who is appalled by the profanity while subtly winking at the reader throughout. The humor lies in what the poem omits, making it funnier for its absences rather than its content.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

Through sleet and fogs to the saline bogs / Where the herring fish meanders,
Editor's note
Field sets the scene with intentionally ridiculous geography — herring bogs, sleet, and fogs — to immediately signal that this is a comic poem, not a serious war piece. When the army arrives in Flanders, they start swearing right away, but the actual curses are replaced with blank dashes. The humor hits on the first read: those blanks are funnier than any real curse could be.
At this distant day we're unable to say / What so aroused their danders;
Editor's note
The narrator pretends not to know the history behind the soldiers' oaths—he can only say that they swore, and that it was a disgrace. The term 'danders' (tempers) is mild and somewhat old-fashioned, which makes the implied profanity even more amusing. The mock-serious tone is in full effect here.
Some folks contend that these oaths without end / Began among the commanders,
Editor's note
Now Field presents different theories about swearing, framing it like a serious historical debate. The notion that the officers initiated it while the enlisted men merely followed their example subtly critiques military hierarchy and suggests that misconduct often flows from those in power.
But some suppose that the trouble arose / With a certain Corporal Sanders,
Editor's note
The rival theory points to a particular low-ranking soldier, Corporal Sanders, who reportedly made a jab at the locals' wooden shoes (clogs, a traditional symbol of Flemish culture). This represents the poem's sharpest satirical twist: the entire legend of Flanders' insults could stem from one man's trivial gripe about shoes.
At any rate, as I grieve to state, / Since these soldiers vented their danders
Editor's note
The narrator ends the 'history' with a feigned sense of sorrow, remarking that Flanders has been known for its foul language ever since. The phrase 'I grieve to state' is a perfect example of comic irony — he is obviously pleased to say it.
How wretched is he, wherever he be, / That unto this habit panders!
Editor's note
Field shifts to a quick, playful moral lecture. The word 'panders' adds a clever twist—it rhymes with 'Flanders' (the poem's ongoing rhyme) and hints at a touch of moral disapproval. The narrator casts himself as a righteous onlooker of others' shortcomings.
And how glad am I that my interests lie / In Chicago, and not in Flanders!
Editor's note
The poem's funniest line comes when Field discards any notion of historical distance and firmly places himself in 1890s Chicago, patting himself on the back for residing in such a civilized city. The final stanza suggests that no matter what those last blanks might contain, they would never be accepted in a 'circumspect town' like Chicago — a punchline that any reader from Field's newspaper audience would surely have found amusing.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

Broadly comic and mock-solemn throughout, Field takes on the role of a prim, easily-shocked narrator who is secretly relishing every moment of the scandal he's covering. The tone remains playful rather than mean or truly critical — it's the voice of someone who finds human folly more entertaining than troubling. There's a light satirical jab at military culture and civic pride, but it never strikes too hard.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The blank dashes: The poem's central joke and its most effective device. By substituting every curse word with a line of dashes, Field makes the profanity feel more shocking (your mind conjures something worse than he could actually write) and more humorous (the blanks seem ridiculous on the page). This approach also allows the poem to be published in a family newspaper without including any offensive language.
Flanders: Flanders acts as a humorous stand-in for anywhere that is *not* here — a far-off, somewhat unfamiliar location where mischief occurs. Field is playing off a famous saying from that time ('the army swore terribly in Flanders,' which comes from Laurence Sterne's *Tristram Shandy*), so the name itself brings a built-in cultural joke for his audience.
Wooden shoes: The wooden shoes (clogs) that Corporal Sanders mocks represent cultural differences and the disdain a soldier might feel for local customs while stationed overseas. They serve as a quirky catalyst for what is claimed to be a legendary outburst of profanity, highlighting the idea that major scandals can often begin with something trivial.
Chicago: Chicago embodies a certain civic pride and the comfortable respectability typical of the American Midwest. By patting himself on the back for living there instead of in the gritty Flanders, Field subtly pokes fun at the rampant boosterism that characterized late 19th-century urban America.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Eugene Field was a journalist and poet from Chicago, celebrated for his humor columns and children's poetry. He penned this poem in the 1880s or early 1890s for a newspaper audience, likely the readers of the *Chicago Daily News*, where he spent many years. The poem plays off a well-known line from Laurence Sterne's 1759 novel *Tristram Shandy*: "Our armies swore terribly in Flanders." By the Victorian era, that phrase had become a popular cultural reference for shocking profanity, so Field's audience would have recognized the nod right away. The poem’s clever use of blank dashes instead of actual swear words was a common comedic tactic in 19th-century American humor writing, allowing newspapers to address profanity while still being suitable for family reading. Field passed away in 1895 at just 45, leaving behind a diverse body of work that combined sentimental children's poems with sharp comedic pieces like this one.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

The blanks stand in for swear words that Field intentionally never spells out. The joke lies in their emptiness. You're encouraged to think of whatever profanity you find funniest or most shocking—which often brings more laughs than any specific word he could have picked. The poem revolves around the *concept* of terrible swearing, rather than any specific curse.

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IN FLANDERS by Eugene Field

IN FLANDERS

What this poem is about

Recurring themes

Stanza by stanza, with notes

How this poem feels

Symbols & metaphors

Historical context

Questions readers ask

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