Discuss how two or three writers treat the subject of war Essay Example
Discuss how two or three writers treat the subject of war Essay Example

Discuss how two or three writers treat the subject of war Essay Example

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In this text, I will examine how Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, and Isaac Rosenberg address the theme of war. I have analyzed Rosenberg's poem titled 'Break of Day in the Trenches.' The title itself implies a serene atmosphere, as the break of day signifies a peaceful and tranquil beginning of a new day. Throughout the entire poem, there is an overall sense of calmness and serenity, which the poet achieves through the use of assonance, such as "sleeping green," and soft consonants like "sympathies." Despite the tranquil atmosphere, the underlying message conveyed by the poet revolves around anger and opposition towards war.

In this poem, the poet expresses his thoughts on the destructive impact of war on the environment and the loss of freedom it brings to mankind. The initial description of the "darkness" crumb

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ling "away" creates a somber ambiance, suggesting that the darkness diminishes slowly rather than completely disappearing. The choice of the word "crumbling" paints a picture of lingering darkness that persists even as it gradually fades. Perhaps this is the poet's way of portraying war as eternally ominous and gloomy.

In this poem, the poet personifies "Time" as a druid, using this technique to depict war as a dreary and ancient experience. By describing time as druidic, the poet suggests that it carries with it an aura of dullness and restriction, much like the lives of those studying as druids. It can be inferred that the poet intended to convey that the break of day in the trenches was not a refreshing and hopeful experience, but rather a cold and ancient one. The use of "Time" as a pronoun emphasizes its presenc

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in their lives, visiting them every morning.

The poet creates a still atmosphere by not depicting the men in motion, giving the impression that they are simply stationary while the rat moves past them. By describing their physical attributes as "strong eyes, fine limbs, haughty athletes," it appears as though they are positioned there for the poet's observation. The poem conveys a sense of astonishment in the men, who remain stationary while war imagery reflects in their eyes; the poet invites the reader to see these images through the rat's perspective as it witnesses "shrieking iron and flame/hurled through still heavens."

The men may stare distantly and not even "quaver" while their hearts are "aghast" when witnessing these horrific images. The language used by Rosenberg personifies war, portraying it as an omnipotent figure overpowering men with actions such as "hurled" and "shrieking". The use of "shrieking" can also be seen as onomatopoeia, describing the sound of bombs dropping down, highlighting the torment and pain experienced during war.

Using onomatopoeia, the poet brings the sounds of war into the poem, perhaps to make the reader experience it. Rosenberg presents a sense of stillness and death by introducing the rat as the only living thing that leaps from his hand. This could suggest that the narrator's hand is motionless like a rock and the rat has suddenly jumped off it. Rosenberg compares the soldiers' lives to that of rats, a species that thrived in the trenches while many men perished during the war.

Rosenberg likely decided to liken the soldiers to rats due to the negative connotations associated with these creatures, which are commonly regarded as pests and live in

miserable conditions. By drawing parallels between the soldiers' lives and those of rats, the poet effectively depicts the horrors of war. One could argue that the poet cleverly employs the rat as a metaphor to discuss his views on the impact of war on society. Rosenberg transports the reader into the perspective of a rat, someone who likely hasn't experienced the terrors of war, and has the narrator address the rat (reader) about his thoughts on the effects of war on the world.

The poet discusses the challenging and limited nature of life during war. They convey to the reader (or rat) that having cosmopolitan sympathies or antipathies could lead to being shot. The poem emphasizes that a soldier always had to view the people in the enemy country as wicked. This suggests that the narrator may have felt envious of the freedom enjoyed by those not involved in the war, as depicted through the rat who taunts the narrator's constrained existence. The rat is portrayed with human characteristics, personifying its actions. The poem describes the rat as "sardonic," able to "touch" people, and inwardly grinning, indicating an evil disposition.

The concept of the rat personified conveys the notion that the men have been so weakened by the war that even a rat surpasses them in strength. The poet further insinuates that poppies eventually dominate the deceased men, growing from their "veins." During the war, there was a belief that poppies flourished from the blood of deceased soldiers. Rosenberg incorporates this myth into his poetry, stating that poppies' "roots are in mens' veins/drop, and ever dropping." This possibly suggests that men in war are fated to perish,

since poppy roots already exist within their blood, prepared to grow.

The poet employs the present participle "dropping" to suggest the perpetuity and uninterrupted nature of the war. Towards the conclusion of the poem, a sense of hopelessness emerges as the narrator portrays his "poppy" in his "ear is safe,/just a little white with dust." The presence of white dust, often associated with death, could potentially signify that the poppy will not overcome him since it is already beginning to wither, covered in white dust. Nevertheless, given the prevailing despondency throughout the poem, this interpretation of the final two lines seems unlikely.

The poppy in the narrator's ear may symbolize the opposite, as it is ready to grow from the narrator's "veins" through the white ash. This white ash could represent the impending death for the narrator. The way Rosenberg addresses war suggests a lack of compassion and mercy towards the men involved. The poet's perspective on the poem is notably pessimistic and sorrowful. This poem, titled 'Break of Day in the Trenches', was written just three days before Rosenberg's own death. It can be argued that the somber atmosphere portrayed in the poem reflects Isaac Rosenberg's overall life experience. He was born into a working-class Jewish family that had immigrated from Russia.

In 1915, he enlisted in the military secretly to support his family financially. He claimed that his decision had little to do with patriotic values. However, the money he intended for his family never reached them. Facing discrimination due to his religion, Rosenberg endured hardships during the war. This experience might have influenced the poet's belief in the war's four main subjects: darkness, stillness, rats,

and Germans. These subjects are further elaborated throughout the text, like when he describes a peculiar rat with a sardonic expression.

The poet presents detailed descriptions of these main points using commas and a single stanza structure. By having one long stanza without a definite rhyming scheme, Rosenberg aims to convey all the thoughts that occupy the narrator's mind. It is likely that Rosenberg does this to ensure that the readers grasp onto the grimness of war for as long as possible. He depicts war as a devastating force that ravages not only human freedom but also the earth, describing it as a person with bowels and its fields torn like fabric.

The poet metaphorically personifies the world as a tired and injured soldier. He portrays men as lifeless objects, controlled and directed by others – "bonds to the whims of murder/sprawled in the bowels of the earth." The word "sprawled" conveys a sense of apathy, while "bowels" suggests that they have been forgotten, buried deep within the earth. The poet himself expressed his detestation for the army, stating that only a private in the army truly understands the experience of being a slave.

This statement made by him supports his anger in his poem. It can also be argued that Siegfried Sassoon also addresses the theme of men lacking freedom in war in his poem "At the Cenotaph." However, unlike Rosenberg who claims that freedom was taken away due to war, Sassoon suggests that it is man's own "biological urge to readjust/ the Map of Europe" that leads to the soldiers' miserable existence. Furthermore, Siegfried Sassoon may have intended to imply that the "Prince of

Darkness" incited men to fight against one another.

Siegfred Sassoon's poem suggests that war is an inevitable part of human existence, serving as a testament to the arrogance and vitality of life. He contends that there will always be war since a "Prince of Darkness" resides within every individual, fueling their desire to engage in conflict. Similar to Isaac Rosenberg, Sassoon adopts a delicate approach to portraying the theme of war by situating the poem at the Cenotaph, a serene location where individuals honor those who fought in the war.

The Prince of Darkness delivers a prayer-like speech that appears to contain words of goodness, contributing to a peaceful tone and atmosphere. The speech cleverly disguises a sinful message within the format of a prayer, using phrases like "O Lord" and commanding verbs like "Make them forget". Despite the poet's emotional anger towards war in 'At the Cenotaph', it is hard to perceive due to the gentle atmosphere created.

Both poems employ soft consonants and words with multiple syllables to create a calm ambiance, concealing the poet's underlying anger towards war. Siegfred Sassoon further enhances this mood by incorporating a sinister message within a prayer. At first glance, readers find themselves perplexed as to why the "Prince of Darkness" stands reverently and "bare-headed" by the Cenotaph. Their expectation is for the Prince of Darkness to engage in wickedness, rather than showing respect for the deceased.

Siegfred Sassoon deceives the reader into believing that the Prince of Darkness is virtuous by illustrating his reverence towards the deceased. The poet cunningly guides the reader to perceive the Prince's "prayer" as an embodiment of sagacity, as indicated by the term

"offered," implying a spirit of benevolence. This heightens the tension when the reader encounters the prayer itself, causing bewilderment regarding its true meaning, as it implores individuals to engage in contradictory actions in relation to warfare.

Sassoon employs the use of the oxymoron "blind vindictive peace" to suggest that the peace observed at the cenotaph is ultimately driven by revenge. This paradoxical phrase implies that humans are unaware ("blind") of the vengeful nature behind the "peace" being enacted. The prayer itself can be seen as an oxymoron, as it contains sinful undertones about war while being presented as a prayer. This technique serves to subtly and shockingly convey Sassoon's message, particularly when the truth about the Prince of Darkness is revealed and his presence is marked by a contemptuous "laugh" during a solemn and respectful ceremony.

As he walked away I heard him laugh. " The true identity of the Prince of Darkness is disclosed in two distinct lines (second stanza). This arrangement of the stanzas enhances the shocking effect of the ending, as the revelation about the Prince of Darkness is completely unforeseen. Moreover, the deliberate placement of unexpected information in the second stanza allows the reader to fully grasp the unfolding events, ultimately intensifying their surprise upon discovering the true nature of the Prince of Darkness.

The poet enhances the plain and emphatic nature of the clause by sandwiching it between two full stops. Additionally, the lack of a pause between "away" and "I" intensifies the line's plainness, leaving the reader dumbfounded when the true persona of the Prince of Darkness is revealed. Sassoon modifies the rhyme scheme when introducing the prayer, deviating from the

previous AA, BB rhyming couplets. This alteration lends an informal quality to the poem, possibly resembling a child's perspective and imparting a lively ambiance.

The end-stopped lines at every other line achieve an atmosphere and tone. However, during the prayer, the rhyming scheme changes to A, B, A, B, giving it a more serious and formal tone. This change makes the sinful message appear like a prayer, possibly fooling the reader into thinking it is a prayer of wisdom. The style of the prayer is also achieved through enjambment and semi-colons, showing that the prayer is ongoing. This technique creates a silent atmosphere commonly found in places of prayer.

The sonnet form of the poem 'At the Cenotaph' contributes to its achievement, as it contains fourteen lines and serves as one of the several techniques employed to subtly convey the actual subject matter. The tone of the poem initially and finally appears lively, but it transitions to a more formal tone during the prayer. This presentation creates an illusion of a customary and respectful atmosphere at the Cenotaph, but it becomes apparent that it is no ordinary occasion at this location. Siegfred Sassoon replaces the words "war," "memorial," and "Map of Europe" with pronouns.

Perhaps Sassoon made these words more significant to the reader by transforming them into pronouns. In doing so, he emphasizes the main aspects of war: the battles for territory and a forgotten memorial that loses its true meaning. By turning them into pronouns, Sassoon suggests that these are elements that people both control and do not control. We cannot control the true meaning of the memorial, the frequency of battles, or the constant changes

in the "Map of Europe". This is why Sassoon opted for pronouns; the entire poem revolves around the uncontainable urge to engage in warfare.

Siegfred Sassoon, Rosenberg, and Owen all address the subject of war, each expressing their anger in different ways. While Sassoon blames man for succumbing to the temptation of war and viewing it as a proof of power over land, Owen's anger stems from people's lack of understanding about the horrific conditions of war and their promotion of patriotism.

This poem deliberately opposes Jessie Pope's patriotic poems that encourage men to enlist. The speaker refers to Pope as "my friend" and poses a rhetorical question: "you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory." The poem, titled "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori", reveals the horrors of war to Pope. Siegfried Sassoon, a fellow poet and a companion during the war, assisted Owen in writing this poem. Both poets shared a profound anger towards war, and Sassoon's influence likely contributed to the themes present in Owen's work.

This is likely the reason for the similarity in subject matter between the two poems. However, both poems effectively convey the subject matter. In contrast to the previous two poets, Owen employs graphic and literal descriptions to ensure that the reader grasps the intended message. He skillfully evokes feelings of pity and disgust, leading the reader to firmly reject the idea of enlisting in war when he questions whether they would "tell with such high zest." The reader is thus manipulated into the desired state of mind by the poet.

Owen aims to evoke deep emotional pity and sorrow in the reader's

experience as he vividly portrays the death of a man. He employs similes to liken the soldiers to "old beggars under sack's" and "hags," conveying an image of worn-out, bedraggled individuals. By drawing this parallel, Owen accentuates the soldiers' aged appearance and wretchedness. Furthermore, as beggars and hags are often neglected, this reinforces the poem's overall sense of pitiful destitution that Owen likely intended to engender. Using highly repugnant similes, Owen describes how the "gas" kills the soldiers in an abhorrent manner, exemplified by lines such as "His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin."

The poet uses the adjective "hanging" to create a gruesome and fearful atmosphere, as it gives the impression of a dead face. The dying man's face is brought close to the reader, intensifying the impact. Supporting Owen's idea of war being extremely terrible, the simile "like a devil's sick of sin" describes the devil as sick of sinning. The phrase "flound'ring like a man in fire or lime" portrays a pitiful and painful image, further contributing to the atmosphere. Additionally, Owen contrasts words such as "vile incurable sores on innocent tongues." This contrast between "vile" and "innocent" evokes even more pity from the reader, highlighting the effects of war as a conquest of evil over goodness.

Wilfred Owen provides a detailed depiction of a man's death, while Rosenberg conveys a sense of numerous men dying in war. Owen's vivid description of the man's painful demise creates a personal connection with the reader, evoking heartfelt sympathy for the extensive loss of life in war. By witnessing the immense suffering endured by each soldier in death, the reader becomes acutely aware of the

magnitude of these deaths. The poet employs similes to further enhance the portrayal of emotions.

It is possible that this was because he wanted to specifically know how the reader imagined the soldier's death. Owen aimed to inform the reader about the horror of the gas by describing the lungs as "froth-corrupted/obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud". The poem's structure also supports this persuasive technique. Wilfred Owen divided the poem into four stanzas. In the fourth stanza, one could view it as the part of the poem to reconsider. He may have asked a rhetorical question to encourage people to think differently if they had previously believed it to be less terrible.

The passage describes the condition of soldiers in the first stanza, portraying them as exhausted and almost lifeless as they make their way to a far-off resting place. The author emphasizes their lack of energy and patriotism by mentioning their inability to hear the sounds of gas shells. In the second stanza, there is talk of an accidental delay in putting on the helmets and the deadly consequences that result. Through the use of metaphor, the author highlights the tragic irony of something as simple as fumbling with helmets leading to death in the presence of lethal gas.

Owen employs this technique to astonish readers with the consequences and causes of death, as illustrated in the poem. The purpose of the short and secluded third stanza is for the readers to remain immersed in the scene for as long as possible, depicting a dying man who "plunges" towards the narrator. The use of commas after each phrase serves to momentarily pause each image presented, resembling

slow motion captures in films. This technique is often employed to signify and emphasize events that occur - in this poem, the narrator repeatedly relives the death of the man, as stated "In all my dreams."

This suggests that the narrator (Owen) continues to dream and relive the most devastating moment. Throughout the poem, Owen repeatedly utilizes past participles such as "yelling," "stumbling," "floud'ring," "drowning," "guttering," and "choking." These past participles create an ongoing quality to war. This may also align with the theme explored in previous poems studied, where Wilfred Owen believes that war is ongoing. However, Owen's frequent use of past participles gives the impression that war is eternal, whereas "at the Cenotaph" implies that wars come to an end but future wars will always arise.

The hard consonants used in verbs of the past participle, such as "guttering," contribute to the merciless atmosphere of war. These verbs also incorporate onomatopoeia, like "guttering," which serves to create both auditory and visual effects. Wilfred Owen employs the first person perspective, which personalizes the account of the dying man for the reader, making them feel as if they are in the narrator's position. The poem also establishes a serious and direct tone towards the reader, achieved through the narrator's use of the term "you."

The tone of the poem helps the reader to have a serious perspective on the subject matters discussed, ultimately leading to a dislike for war and fostering pity for those involved in it. Additionally, throughout the poem, the ends of the lines often utilize enjambment, semi-colons, commas, and dashes. This type of punctuation is also present in 'Break of Day in the trenches', creating

the effect of a continuous list of terrible events in war. The rhyme scheme further adds to the poem's sense of continuity.

The rhyme scheme of A, B, A, B in the poem 'Dulce et Decorum est' creates a marching rhythm like soldiers in war. The poet enhances the impact of the message by using punctuation, such as a colon, to emphasize the line "dulce et decorum est pro patria mori." This isolation of the line at the end makes it more memorable and meaningful to the reader. Upon reading the poem, it becomes clear that Wilfred Owen's main focus is the lack of understanding regarding the true horrors of war.

He wants to express his anger about the inhumane treatment of people by encouraging them to fight in the war even though they will only receive death as a reward. After reading all three poems, I have discovered that many war poets share a sense of anger towards sending people to war with no reward other than death. They also dislike those who have not experienced the hardships of war and view it as a misguided form of patriotism. Additionally, most war poets believe that war is inevitable because there are individuals who believe it cannot be avoided.

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