This term paper will deal with the poetry in the First World War. Particular attention will be paid to the British war poet Wilfred Owen. Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) wrote many poems to process experiences he made while fighting in the trenches. Most of his poems were published posthumously.
In the first part of the term paper, some characteristics of English poetry from the Great War will be identified. At that time, the so-called Georgian movement was distinguished. Consequently, in the second part the main aspects of this movement will be clarified, and it will be shown how Owen was influenced by the Georgians. In the third part, some details about Wilfred Owen and his short but excellent poetic career will be given. Poems of Wilfred Owen will be analysed regarding how he conveys the harsh reality of war in his poems, and his attitude towards war. Owen was one of the persons who were diagnosed with the so called ‘shell shock’. Therefore, his mental illness and being part of the war had a significant impact on his poems. Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967), another well-known English war poet, had a huge influence on the writings of Owen, too. They met at hospital to recover from shell shock. That is why there will be references to Sassoon in the term paper.
The overall results will be summed up in a conclusion. The question(s) from the beginning will be answered and there will be a short view on potential future research topics.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Great War Poetry
3 Georgian Movement
4 Wilfred Owen
4.1 Details About His Life
4.2 Analysis of Poems Written by Owen
4.2.1 Content
4.2.2 Language and Structure
5 Conclusion
6 Appendix
6.1 Dulce et Decorum Est BY WILFRED OWEN
6.2 Strange Meeting BY WILFRED OWEN
6.3 Exposure BY WILFRED OWEN
6.4 Anthem for Doomed Youth BY WILFRED OWEN
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the poetry of the First World War, with a primary focus on the works of the British poet Wilfred Owen. It aims to clarify how Owen effectively conveyed the brutal realities of trench warfare, moving beyond the romanticized or nationalistic portrayals often found in war poetry of that era. The research explores the impact of Owen’s personal experiences with "shell shock" and his recovery, as well as the stylistic and thematic influence of the Georgian movement and contemporary poets like Siegfried Sassoon, ultimately demonstrating how he developed a unique poetic voice to protest against war and heroism.
- Evolution of British war poetry during the early 20th century
- Influence of the Georgian movement and Siegfried Sassoon on Owen’s writing
- Analysis of nature and bodily metaphors in depicting war trauma
- Stylistic innovation, including pararhymes and usage of irony
- The clash between war realism and patriotic rhetoric
Excerpt from the Book
4.2.1 Content
The quote underlines that Owen was incredibly good at writing poems. He wanted to show his reality of the war to his readers. Owen portrays how bad the conditions were for the soldiers in times of war. With the help of his talent to translate the experiences he made into poetic language, Owen tries to convince his readers that war is not as glorious as it might seem. In a lot of his poems the body plays an important role, one can say that Owen “‘turns to facial expressions and bodily gestures’ to reveal to us ‘the truths he found in war’“ (Das 2006: 154) like “‘the chest and sleepy arms’ in ‘Asleep’, the ‘eyes, huge-bulged’ in ‘The Sentry’, the face and forehead in ‘Exposure’, the ‘drooping tongues’ in ‘Mental Cases’” (Das 2006: 153 f.). Furthermore, Owen was homosexual, and it could be asked if “Owen’s shimmering homoeroticism [that] colours the experience, or is it one more example of a decadent aesthete struggling to portray harsh reality through the Victorian language of sensation?” (Das 2009: 86).
The poem ‘Exposure’ written in 1917 is based on experiences he made in the freezing winter of 1917. ‘Exposure’ “with its haunting verbal and descriptive beauty, provides the reader with a wonderful example of his mature craft” (Knowles 2002: 15). In the poem a lot of references to nature can be found. Owen wrote a lot of poems that refer to nature. In ‘Exposure’ the cause of so many deaths are natural causes like the “merciless iced east winds that knife us” (l. 1). The soldiers are captured in no-man’s land where a gruesome image is shown. In line 7 Owen uses a simile to show this disturbing picture: “Like twitching agonies of men among the brambles” (l. 7). He asks a question like “What are we doing here?” (l. 10) and “Is it that we are dying?” (l. 30) to summarize the circumstances and to make the reader think about the situation in which the soldiers were trapped. In another poem of Wilfred Owen which is called ‘Spring Offensive’ “[t]he troops […] see the blessing offered by nature, standing ‘like trees unstirred’ until the order to attack comes like a chill wind” (Hibberd 1986: 187).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the context of the First World War and sets the objective to analyze how Wilfred Owen processed his experiences into poetry.
2 Great War Poetry: This section provides an overview of the two main types of war poetry existing at the time, specifically propaganda versus the "trench poets."
3 Georgian Movement: The chapter clarifies the defining traits of the Georgian movement and its influence on early 20th-century English literature and on Owen.
4 Wilfred Owen: This chapter covers his biography, his development as a poet, and the significant impact of shell-shock and his relationship with Siegfried Sassoon.
4.1 Details About His Life: This section details Owen's early life, his religious background, and his combat service in France.
4.2 Analysis of Poems Written by Owen: This part serves as the analytical core, examining how Owen translates war trauma into poetic form.
4.2.1 Content: This subsection analyzes specific poems like ‘Exposure’ and ‘Strange Meeting’, focusing on themes of nature, body imagery, and the rejection of war glorification.
4.2.2 Language and Structure: This subsection examines stylistic choices such as pararhymes, irony, and the use of biblical or erotic language to enhance the intensity of his poems.
5 Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes how Owen established a unique, protest-oriented style of poetry that effectively critiqued the heroism of the First World War.
6 Appendix: This section provides the original texts of several of Owen's most significant poems for reference.
Keywords
Wilfred Owen, First World War, Trench Poetry, Georgian Movement, Shell Shock, War Trauma, Poetic Style, Pararhyme, Realism, Siegfried Sassoon, Dulce et Decorum Est, Exposure, Strange Meeting, Anthem for Doomed Youth, War Protest
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this paper?
The paper fundamentally deals with the poetry of the First World War, specifically focusing on the works of Wilfred Owen and his contribution to depicting the brutal reality of the conflict.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Central themes include the criticism of war enthusiasm, the psychological impact of trauma (shell shock), the juxtaposition of nature and war, and the loss of innocence.
What is the primary goal of the research?
The main objective is to analyze how Wilfred Owen successfully uses stylistic devices and thematic references to convey the harsh reality of war and voice his personal protest against the conflict.
Which scientific methods are employed in this analysis?
The paper utilizes a literary analysis approach, closely examining primary source texts (poems) alongside biographical data and secondary literary criticism to interpret Owen’s intent and stylistic choices.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers the historical context of Great War poetry, the influence of the Georgian movement, a detailed biography of Wilfred Owen, and a thorough analysis of his poems' contents, language, and structure.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include war poetry, Wilfred Owen, trench warfare, shell shock, protest literature, and stylistic innovation.
How did Owen's experience with shell shock affect his poetry?
His experience at the Craig Lockhart hospital and his diagnosis with shell shock provided him with direct, haunting material, allowing him to authentically communicate the intense psychological suffering and "pity of war" in his later, more mature poems.
What significance did the Georgian movement have for Wilfred Owen?
The Georgian movement served as an early influence on his poetic development; while he moved away from their traditionalism, their focus on reality and colloquial language provided a foundation for his experimentation and transition into a more modern, protest-oriented style.
Why are poems like 'Dulce et Decorum Est' and 'Exposure' highlighted?
These poems are analyzed because they serve as quintessential examples of Owen's mature craft, demonstrating his use of visceral bodily imagery and natural metaphors to dismantle the notion that dying for one's country is "sweet and proper."
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- Ann-Theres Schneider (Autor:in), Wilfred Owen and the Harsh Reality of the First World War, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1264826
