Had he and I but met / By some old ancient inn
-- Speaker (Lines 1-2)

Importance: These lines that open “The Man He Killed” establish the primary characters of the poem, the speaker operating in the first-person “I,” and his supposed adversary, whom the speaker refers to in the third-person “he.” That “he and I” are mentioned together in the first line already signifies that this is the relationship that will be interrogated throughout the body of the poem. Note as well the ambiguous identity of “he and I” – for example, "he" is not attached to any specific person with a first name. As such, “he and I” already take on a quality of lacking individual identity – they become interchangeable with one another, and their anonymity means they could stand for anyone. These opening lines also establish one of the settings of the poem, “some old ancient inn,” a place that fosters camaraderie and warmth...