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Examine the way three poems by Wilfred Owen depict the horror of war.

Wilfred Owen was an English poet who specialised in writing about war, mainly because he endured some of the worst parts of them. He joined the Army in October 1915. Most likely expectant of glory and recognition. Little did he know he would eventually fight in the Somme. He was put in hospital only two years after he joined in 1917 because of shell shock. This was caused by the explosions from shells and the content of war in general. When in hospital he became aquainted with Siegfried Sassoon, who was also a war poet. Each poet was strongly against the war and all it stood for. When in hospital (and in contact with on another)they   greatly contributed to each  other's poetry. Wilfred Owen decided to rejoin the Armed Forces in 1819. Unfortunately he died soon before armastice.

It was only when the war and his life came to an end that his poetry was truly recognised.

Wilfred Owens poetry really put across a graphic and more truthful tale of war. As he felt that those who were not in the conflict should not be sheilded from the awfull truth about war.. He once said "The poetry is in the pity." These words really exaggerated his empathy for those who had lost their lifes and those who’s lifes were tragically alterd.

Owen really strives to depict the horror of war by using extremely graphic images, both mental and physical.

A more famous Wlfred Owen poem is Disabled. It is about a young soldier who joins the army hoping for respect and a glorious time but returns home with only a mutilated torso to show for his efforts. The poems describes the young mans physical and emotional turmoil before and after his injury. It describes how he is looked upon as revolting and that no one respects what he did for his country. His disablement is an obvious point in this poem. But there is a strong mental aspect included. The man is young. He had a whole life ahead of him, with women and money perhaps. But he is now looked upon as vile by women. And his chances of any job are now dashed.

Perhaps an even more famous poem of Wilfred Owens is “dolce et decorum est.”. This poem describes the cruel, disgusting, dirty and disease ridden life of the trenches very graphically. It uses strong mental images to achieve this.

'Anthem for Doomed Youth' is more about those that were physically and mentally wounded. By war. And those that have been forgotten by society. I have chosen these three poems as they are each physically very different and use very different tactics to achieve their goal. But each succeeds very effectively.

 “Disabled” This poem gradually makes the reader feel pity for the character in question. The rhyme scheme plays a large part in this poem.  The first verse introduces the main character. He is a young man who has been reduced to a torso by war and has seemingly no prospects in life. The character is never given a name. Which adds to the feeling of worthlessness and meaningless of his life.  "...Waiting for dark..." in the first line, exaggerates his loneliness and his meaningless. The word dark however, is often associated with death. So not only could this man be waiting for dark so he could sleep and find a safe place away from the outside. He could be waiting for his death, to end his suffering his pain and anguish. The character is said to shiver, automatically one thinks “cold”, but shivers also are a part of fear. He has a grey suit. This inplies dimness and liflesness. "Legless, sewn short at elbow” this is written very in quick short parts. This helps to get the severity across to the reader.There is a reference to young boys playing in the park. This adds to his comparative disability. As a ypung boy he used to play in the park himself so the reader is made to feal yet more pity for the man who’s childhood is now gone. Hyms are mentioned. This makes one think of churches. Churches are though of quiet solem places wher the dead go to rest.The last line is longer. Also the words are longer. This slows the paced down a little and adds a feling of peace to the verse. And peace can be related to death, so the last line is also like a closing line or a closing chapter in his life. 

The second verse emphasises his disability and what he used to be able to do. And what he could have done with his life.

 "...Town used to swing so gay..." makes the reade feel yet more pity for the subjest. It also exaggerated the contrast between his former self and his current disability. An even more reference to his former life are the lines

            "And girls glanced lovelier as the air grew dim, --

In the old times before he threw away his knees.

Now he will never feel again how slim

Girls' waists are, or how warm their subtle hands;

All of them touch him like some queer disease."

All  references to the oppsite sex again put pity on te subject and make a comparison wth his former life. It also makes the reader realise his inhabilaty to socialise wth others.

"...before he threw away his knees." Gives the impression that his war efforts ere sacrafficial in a way.

The third verse consentrates more on the physical aspect of his disability and his body itself.

The first line speaks of his past. Again emphasizing the contrast between his comparitavly physical actie life to his now completely iscolated inactive life. It also (for the first time) talks of the young mans age., it is put across to the eader that he is 19. In the third line , the soldiers is put across to be a decrepid old man.

            "He's lost his colour very far from here,

Poured it down shell holes till the veins ran dry,

And half his lifetime lapsed in the hot race,

And leap of purple spurted from his thigh."

These lines refer to his memoris of battle and scenes on the field. Colour is a word which Owen reltes to as the mans blood and his life, his essence. Losing blood is referd to in the second  line, “…Poured it down shell holes till the veins ran dry…” this perhaps means that not only has he been wounded, but he has lost everything he has done and what he has done for his country. The loss of this mans limbs  is also depicted as valiant, glorious and perhaps something he should be rememberd for.But of course, he never  is.. This is shown by the depiction of the mans bloodin the last line of this verse, "...leap of purple..." The use of the colour makes the experience sound more heroic and valient. But urple is also a very solom, dark lifeless colour. So this could also mean that the blood (being not only his blood but his life) could be worthless and desolate. Perhaps this injury is the one that cost him his legs, it also contributes to the subject losing his energy. It is written with longer words to make it sound less brutal and more glorious.

Verse four focuses more on the fact that the thousands of eager youngmen thatsigned up to the army in search of glory, returned home injured and scared by theexperience. "He thought he'd better join.--He wonders why."

This line gives the impression that this man joined up (like so many others) soly to impress his friends and womesn. The lines"...his Meg..." and because, "Someone had said he'd look a god in kilts...". Both back the previous lines up. Impressing his girlfriend seemed to be at the top of his agenda and looking good for friends and family and his country perhapsalso played a role in his reason for joining. The reasons however are all very petit and rather poor. So it seems that if it wasn’t for his vanity he could have lived a normal life. The first lines of this final verse try to compare the honour of football with the supposed honour of life as a soldier.        

Also, the football matches mentioned could be used to compare to the viscious conflict that is war. Football matches are supposed to be fun, friendly and light hearted. Where as war is anything but.. From when the boy decided to join up to the army, the realisation that his actions whera mistake begin to show.

            "Smiling they wrote his lie; aged nineteen years..."

This line makes one think that the officers that signed the boy cared not for his future but for the countrys future. They also new he wanted to join up so hose to forfill hi dream. The line again refers to the fact that the man is very young. Young men are seen as week and perhaps vulneravle. This makes those that signed the boy up seem very cold hearted. The next line "And no fears Of Fear came yet."

The word fear is used twice hear and in the same short line. The second time it appears it is written in capitals. This clearly makes it more prominent and more important than the last word Perhaps the second “FEAR”should be viewed as the ultimate fear, the fear of ones own death or th fear of what may happen .,            "And soon, he was drafted out with drums and cheers.

            Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal."

Owen makes use of  this seemingly unimaginable comparison to show the contrast between his former active life and his new life of total and utter solitude. Owen  uses this comparison to show the friendly fude that is football and theultimately competitive battle that is war. It also remindes you of his youth before the war and hei decrebid state after it.

The impression that the majority of readers will ge from this poem is that the man has not only lost his limbs at war but his life and future also.. Most of the lines in the poem are ment to make the reader feel pity for the subject. Owen goes on to describe his life in the nursing home and his lack off appretiationfor what the man did for his country in the Somme aswell as his  his social rejection, especcialy from the opposite sex..

“…they touch him like some queer disease….”

At thenursing home, the man’s only visitor is "...a solemn man...", we are given the impression that this man is a vicar. So this leads  to the man’s lingering death in th nursing home. Hrdly how he imagend dying.   The visitor is not said to take any real notice of the dying. There is no evidence ofpraise or pity. It is as if this man is here as a duty and nothuing more. The image of a vicar makes one think of churches and services. A service which could easily be a funeral.

The near closing verse is more or less about the same thing. The subject dying  and dying soon. It is morbid and blunt.

The last verse again trys to make the reader pity the subject.

            "Now he will spend a few sick years in institutes..."

The use of the word few sudjests he has little time, and the use of the word sick means those years will be almost not worth living. The word institute however, gives the feeling of solidation and routine..

            "And do what things the rules consider wise,

            And take whatever pity they may dole."

In these lines, the idea of an institution where one must follow a reigime is clearly stated. And the idea of self pity is shown in the second line .It’s saying that the subject should take any pity he comes across.The next to lines again refer to his previous life style and what he used to do.. Women's' looks "Passed from him...",this again makes the reader feel pity and shows the contrast from his former life where women would pay attention to him.

The last lines describe his want of peace (death) and his dependency..

            "How cold and late it is! Why don't they come

            And put him to bed? Why don't they come?

After reading this poem the reader is left with the tale of a destroyed life.A boy with so many prospects transformed to a decrepid cripple who is totally dependent on others and cut of from any form of social activity.

'Dulce et Decorum est'. This poem seems to be a little less graphic than “disabled”.There is much more reference to the subjects physical state also. The poem also talks of the entire army, of everone at war.The first line is straight to the pont. “Begger” is a very derogative phrase, when used it instantly takes way any sense of power or valour that one mayhave. So the soldiers instantly become dirty and worthless. The second line does much the same thing,

            "Knock-kneed, coughing like hags..."

Coughing conjours up an image of death and illness. Early in the poem the soldiers have become decrepid and ill. "...we curse through sludge..." this makes the rader imagine the soldiers to be literally cursing the day they joined the army.

.

            "Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs..."

This lines gives the impression that hope is lost, and that the flares meannthing. They have seen them many times already. Use of the word “haunting” may sudjest that the flares are warning the soldiers of danger and that they fear this.

The next line makes use of the word trudge. This word sudjests slow, painfull and undinifies form of marching. The next line again shows the tirdness and depression of the subjects.

            "Men marched asleep..."

An obvious reference of tirdness.

            "...Many had lost their boots..."

To lose your boots when walking miles on end would be a trajjic loss. But to any man not involves in the war, this would be a problem easily overcome.

            "But limped on blood-shod. All went lame, all blind;

            Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots

            Of gas-shells dropping softly behind."

These lines refer to the soldiers a little more personally. “limped” implyin injury and fatigue. The next line refers to the soldiers as “drunk with fatigue” This may sdjest that they had been drinking spirits to try and block the fear out, or that the fatigue they are experiencing is so severe they feel drunk. “…gas shells dropping softly behind” This gives the reader the impression of a paratrooper landing behind enemy lines, it gives the gas a personal feel. 

            "Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!..."

A drematic change from the slow pace of the last lines. The use of short wordsrealy ups the tempo and gives an image of confusion and fumbling. Then

             "-An ecstasy of fumbling..."

The word ecstacy could really be referring to the soldiers unimaginable  emotions, the terror, the exitment and the adrenalin. The fumbling really gives an image of panic and terror. It conjours an image of th soldiers desperately reaching for their masks.

"...clumsy helmets...", and, "...yelling out and stumbling..." "And floundering..."These lines give an impression of terror among the soliers as they become consumed by the gas. Because of the gas the soldiers panic and become more and more clumsy.

The next line describes the last few minutes of a soldiers life as he is drowned by gas.     "...floundering like a man in fire or lime..."

.The use of the word fire makes one think of hell. This man could be slipping from his life and experiencing “hell” as it were.

            "Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,

            As under a green sea, I saw him drowning."

The colur of the gas in question is “green”, the light colour (green) is in no doubt caused by the gas.. When one is consumd by gas , they are effectively drowned. As the gas fills their lungs and burns them from the inside. So the use of the word “ sea” is more affective than the word gas, as it puts the image of drowning across with more emhasis. Earlier in the poem the word “floundering” is used. When in the water one tends to be less co-ordinated and becomes clumsy. Owen has made use of this fact in the last few lines also, ..”As under a green sea I saw him drowning..”Water plays a significant part in Owens descriptive words. The net two lines,

            "In all my dreams before my helpless sight

            He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning."

Give a personal feel. It gives the impression u are looking at the dying soldier from the soldiers point of view. The reference to dreams however is intended to make one think of the mental anguish experienced by witnessing sutch a traumatic event. Again the word drowning is used.This is because of all the images that come with it. Funbling, clumsiness and fatigue.

The last verse in considerably more graphic, probably to shock the reader into a sense of realism.

            "If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace..."

The word smothering is again related to drowning. The line is for the firs time direcred at the reader, making the reader try and imagine how they would feel and what there emotions would be.

In the next lines the disposal of a dead soldier is explained. The word “flung” is used, this puts an image of routine and indignity across to the reader. The following lines describe a dying soldier.  "And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,

            His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin..."

Thes lines are more graphic and shocking. No metaphors are used.Just what the soldiers themselves would experience.. The words "...like a devil's (face) sick of sin…” makes onre think that the soldier is tired of living his life and hope fo it to soon end so he canlive a sin free afterlife. The devil also carries images of death and decay.

            "If you could hear at every jolt, the blood

            Come gargling forth from the froth-corrupted lungs,

            Bitter as the cud

            Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues..."

This verseagain is partly directed at the reader, “ ..if you could hear at every jolt…”It goes on to describe in graphic detail another event included in gassing. The use of the word corrupted sudjests that the froth is evil corrupting the once good mans sole. Corrupting his lifes very essence. The same thing goes for “..Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues..." The use of the word innocent makes the soars sound evil and corruptive.

            "My friend, you would not tell with such high zest

            To children ardent for some desperate glory,

            The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est

            Pro patria mori."

(Roughly translated as “it is sweet and noble to die fotr your country”)

The last few lines again refer to the reader as part of the story. Making the line more significant. The last few lines are rather like a moral .They tell u the reader,not to speak highly of war. As it is clearly nothing to be spoken highly off. It was people that spoke highly of war theat got young men to join up and sign aay there lives.

The word lie has been written with a capital. This emphasises the fact that the phrase id =s a lie and should be regarded as nothing else.

Owen achieved what I think he was aming for. To degrade war, o tell the truth about war and to depict a graphic image of the physical and mental suffering that the young soldiers had to endure.

 “Anthem for a doomed youth” is a lot shorter than the poems we have looked at already. Owen uses sounds and vsual images to get the point of this poem across. The poem also makes comparison ogf humans and weapons used at war.

“…what passing-bells for these who die as cattle?..” This line has a very staraigh forward maetaphor. The soldiers in question are compared to cattle because of the large numbers n which they die. Also cattle never have any recognition, they are viewed as worthless and inadequate. The line asks “..what passing bells?..” meaning what recogntion do these men get?

“…only the monsterous anger of guns…”This line gives the guns a  more human feel.It’s almost as if the guns have emotions. The anger is related to shouting, and guns are themselves very loud, rather like shouting. “..only the stuttering rifles rattle..” The stuttering of the rifles could be relae to the hesitation of the soldiers at war. This again gives a more emotional feeling to the most emotionless items. The next few lines describe the lack of grievense the sldiers get for there war. There is no personality given to the so,diers no feeling of seperation,  they die as a group. “…no mockeries for them from prayers or bells…”This line perhaps sudjests that even if there was to be a service of any kind, it would be viewed apon as a mockery as the survise woud be held siply for the sake of it. This also contributes to the soldiers lake of importance. “…nor any voice of mourning save the choirs..”  Choirs are often related toi services and this case most likely funerals. This again exaggerated the lack of importance the soldiers carry. “…the shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells..” Owen has used the sound of falling sheels  as a comparison to a church choir. The sound made is likely a high pitched whail as the wind passes through the holes. Similar to the sound of a choir. Also,  the sound of the shells is the only service tey are likely to get. “…and bugles calling them from sad shires..” In the military, bugles are often used as signals, alarms and in services. The bugles used here were most likely o signal an event of importance. Military funeral services often use bugles to show a sign of respect. But usually only soldiers of a  high ranking status would havesuch a service. So the soldiers hearing the bugles may treat the sound made as comforting, to make them think that what they had donewas worth while.

The next verse depicts the grieve felt by those that who actually cared for thjose tha were killed. The impression is also given that the soldiers lives are held only in memory nd not in physical memorial.

“..what candles may be held to speed them all?..”

“..Not in the hands of boys,  but in there eyes..”

The first line questions what recognition these soldiers will get. The use of the word candle is particularly clever as candles carry a strong Christian element. Christianity is also related to the church and indoutably, sevices. The next line sais that there will be no physical rememberence, but only memories and personal grieving. Hands area very physical feature. Afterall, they are what we use primarily to feel and touch. “..Not in the hands..”sudjests the lack of any service atall. He line continues, “..shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes..” This verse ends by dscribing the soldiers grievence as only glimmers. The word glimmer is mainly used when one is talking about a flame or fire. So, in this instance the word glimmer can be easily relatd to a candle. A link to the previous lines perhaps. The glimmer is not just a glimmer, but a “..holy glimmer..” so there is even more reason to relate the candle we are now picturing as Christian related. Glimmering is also often a sign of a flame fading away. Like the flame, the soldiers memories are now starting to slowly die out. The next few lines continue to tell of how the soldiers will go unrecognised and how if there are any  services they will be purely personal.

“…The pallor of girls’ brows shall be there pall..” The women who are mourning over there husbands or relatives are said to be pale. Being pale does show a sign of sorrow and perhaps shock. So the pale complection of the girls is a substitute for the soldiers pall. Pall benig a not so commonly used word for a death shroud.

“..There flowers the tenderness of silent minds..” Flowers are another item closely related to funerals and church services. In this instance, the soldiers do not get flowers, instead the only receive “..tenderness.” from those who cared for them. This substitution clearly contributes to the lack of recognition that the soldiers are receiving. The next line creates a rhyming cuplet with the previous line.

“..And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds..” This last line effectively conjours up an image of girl in mourning pulling her blinds on the war. Effectively she is pulling her blinds on her lost one. Blocking out and mental imagry she may have and forgetting about him. Also the the word “each” sudjests she does the same thing every night. So it becomes a routine. Trying to forget her loved one and then strugelling to do it again the following night.

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