How does Owen stress the horrors of the First World War Essay Example

by his dislike for Pope and Begbie and his desire to record his own experiences firsthand. In contrast, Harold Begbie's poem "Fall In" appears to forcefully persuade readers to join the army with its threatening title that serves almost as a command.

The opening line of the poem immediately introduces the main topic that is present throughout the poem, with the use of "sonny" suggesting that the intended audience is a young man who may be hesitant to join. The repetition of "sonny" throughout creates a sense of urgency. The poetic voice poses a rhetorical question that encourages reflection, while also emphasising the question through repetition. Begbie proceeds to prey on one of the reader's immediate concerns by focusing on the fear of appearing unmanly in front of women when they shout their love to returning lads.

Begbie suggests that joining the army would instantly make the reader a hero and receive love and appreciation from girls, encouraging them to go to war. His lack of knowledge about war's true horrors is evident, as he sees it as an advantageous opportunity for young men. Later, Begbie plays upon the reader's patriotism, referencing England's call as God's.

Begbie argues that it is the duty of English citizens to sign up for the army during wartime, with many men already joining their respective countries' armies. To further persuade the reader, Begbie claims that "England's call is God's," implying that God supports England and that by enlisting, one is aligning themselves with God. This can be interpreted as a promise of protection from God throughout the war. Begbie later shifts his tone to connect more

intimately with the reader by using colloquial language such as "the pub and the betting odds." The young, inexperienced, and somewhat immature reader may relate to these specific social references, causing them to become more favorable towards Begbie.

In "Fall in," Begbie shifts to a more serious tone with the introduction of the second stanza. He implies that those who do not join the army will betray their country and fellow citizens: "Will you say it was naught to you if France Stood up to her foe or bunked? But where will you look when they give you the glance That tells you they know you funked? " Rhetorical questions are used to involve the reader and make them reconsider their stance. Begbie also suggests that there is still time for the reader to redeem themselves in the penultimate stanza: "Or say- I was not with the first to go, but I went, thank god, I went?" He takes on the persona of the reader to connect with them, while emphasizing the importance of volunteering. Overall, Begbie stresses the idea that there is still time to prove oneself and volunteer for service.

Furthermore, the reference to "god" once again highlights the religious nature of the war, perhaps implying that by enlisting, one would be aligning themselves with God. The closing stanza sees Begbie pose a rhetorical inquiry, "Is it nothing to you if your country falls, and right is destroyed by wrong?" This inquiry aims to evoke the reader's feelings and encourage swift enlistment. Begbie was not the sole poet to pen such works; Jessie Pope also composed poems urging young men to volunteer.

Comparing

Pope's poem "Who's for the game?" to "Fall in," we see that both poems aim to encourage young men to volunteer for war. The title "Who's for the game?" reveals Pope's perception of war as a mere competition, indicating his lack of understanding about its atrocities. This perspective angered Owen and inspired his later work.

The poems "Who's for the game?" and "Fall in" share similarities. Both contain rhetorical questions, with "Who's for the game?" including several allusions to war as a game. This linguistics choice may suggest an attempt to make war more appealing and persuade readers to volunteer. The energetic and enthusiastic tone throughout "Who's for the game?" furthers this appeal, as does the brash and confident lexis used in the poem. Additionally, the direct rhetorical questions foster a dialogue between the reader and the poetic voice.

Therefore, this creates a more enthralling and impactful effect on the intended audience, while also compelling the reader to question whether they should participate in war. Additionally, Pope demonstrates a lack of understanding towards the true nature of war, portraying it as a mere spectacle with lines such as, "Who'll give his country a hand? Who wants a turn to himself in the show?" This tactic preys on the reader's fear of being isolated, implying that choosing not to participate in war would be a betrayal to both their country and peers. This is reminiscent of Begbie's approach in Fall where he played on the reader's apprehension of appearing unmanly to women. Continuing her argument, Pope emphasizes the feeling of patriotism that one would experience if they volunteered by stating, "Who knows it won't be a picnic-not

much-.."

. In acknowledging the possibility of war injuries, Pope also views returning with a crutch as a source of pride. In likening war to a leisurely picnic, however, Pope displays a lack of awareness about the serious hazards of combat.

Moreover, there is a concerning possibility that Pope intends to manipulate these youths to participate in warfare. Pope returns to emphasize the theme of patriotism in the final stanza by stating, "Your country is up to her neck in a fight, And she's looking and calling for you." The reader is supposed to infer that their country is urgently in need of help. Such texts could potentially burden young men with immense pressure.

The men who were encouraged to enlist in the army would have been subjected to various methods of persuasion, thus feeling almost coerced into joining. Poets Begbie and Pope were unaware of the true horrors of war and attempted to manipulate young men into signing their lives away. Their views most likely influenced the work of renowned war poet Wilfred Owen, who focused on the dangers faced by young men who were almost forced to join the army, having been influenced by propagandist poets like Begbie and Pope during the war.

"Disabled: a victim of war" is among Owen's most renowned poems where he sheds light on the impacts of war by taking up the persona of a young man who has suffered severe injuries in battle. Owen diverges from his usual practice of presenting soldiers' lives in general terms and takes us into the personal experience of a single individual. This approach elicits greater sympathy from the reader as they get to

witness one man's trauma. The poem is written in the free indirect style, providing readers with an exclusive opportunity to explore the young man's thoughts and recollections.

Presented in the text is a depiction of the young man's suffering through the description of him "sitting in a wheeled chair, waiting for dark, And shivering in his ghastly suit of grey." This portrayal highlights his pain and disability, eliciting sympathy from the reader. The text suggests that propaganda from figures like Begbie and Pope may have coerced him into volunteering, leading to his current state of dependence and impotence.

The implication that he is "waiting for dark" suggests that the night provides the only solace from his suffering. Darkness brings relief in the form of painless sleep. Alternatively, night may serve as a metaphorical representation of death. The individual has reached a point where death seems the only way to escape from pain, leaving him waiting for his ultimate demise. By providing a personal example, this highlights the atrocities of war, evoking empathy and sympathy.

The man's description is haunting. He is portrayed as completely drained of energy, made vulnerable by his shivering form. His appearance, described as a "ghastly suit of grey," suggests he is barely alive and has lost everything but his conscience. The use of alliteration creates a sense of desperation and disgust with himself. This feeling of pain is perpetuated with the mention that he is "legless" and "sewn short at elbow." The sentence structure purposely delays the reveal of his lack of legs, emphasizing its graphic horror. Additionally, the reference to him being sewn short indicates his dehumanization, as he is

compared to a piece of clothing.

At the beginning, we merely observed, but now we have full access to the subject's emotions and feelings, resulting in a more poignant experience for the reader. The sense of pathos is amplified by a reminder of what was lost: "Voices of boys rang suddenly like a hymn, Voices of play and pleasure after day." These "voices of boys" only serve to emphasize what he can never regain: joy, pleasure, and vitality. The mention of a "hymn" evokes religion and suggests that he may feel abandoned by God, leaving him without even his faith to cling to. The second stanza recalls positive memories: "When glow-lamps budded in the light blue trees, And girls glanced lovelier as the air grew dim."

The use of asterisks to divide each stanza gives the impression of the man drifting in and out of consciousness. The second stanza suggests a shift towards positive memories with a peaceful atmosphere created by the description of "light blue trees". Furthermore, the mention of "girls" suggests a lost romance. However, this tranquility is abruptly disrupted with the sudden volta in the third stanza: "In the old times, before he threw away his knees."

The mood dramatically changes amidst a visceral sense of shock. After peacefully reminiscing on past joyous memories, the sudden awareness of his current situation jolts him. He realizes that he will never be able to experience joy again, such as the slim waists and warm hands of girls. It is clear that he is aware that the joys of love and friendship are no longer accessible to him. His yearning for physical love elicits

even more sympathy from the reader.

As the poem progresses to its third stanza, it transitions to yet another positive recollection. However, these frequent reminders of his past only serve to increase his pain. Despite this, he continues to search for a memory that will ease his suffering: "He's lost his colour very far from here,Poured it down shell-holes till the veins ran dry." This surreal depiction of "shell holes" conveys how he has lost all his aspirations and hopes, thereby amplifying his anguish and frustration with himself for being swayed by propaganda. It appears as though the war has drained him of everything.

The fourth stanza of the poem seems to indirectly criticize Pope. The lines "After the matches, carried shoulder high. It was after football, when he'd drunk a peg" can be viewed as a dig at Pope. Owen is suggesting that the man described in these lines will no longer be able to play football due to the injuries he sustained during the war. In contrast, Pope sought to convince young men to enlist by comparing war to a team sport in "Who's for the game?" Additionally, "Fall in" and "Who's for the game?" both suggested that those who volunteered would receive a heroic welcome upon their return.

In "Disabled," the returning soldier does not receive the same response as when people cheer for a goal. The poem satirizes Pope's "Who's for the game?" by suggesting the soldier would have been praised more for scoring a goal than going to war. This irony is heightened as Pope compared war to a game. In the end, Owen shows the soldier's pain with his

repeated question, "Why don't they come?" which emphasizes his suffering and his desire for an end to his nightmare. By focusing on an individual instead of a faceless mass, Owen makes it easier for the audience to sympathize and empathize.

Owen emphasizes the atrocities of war by depicting one man's post-war life, while also expressing his views through the poem "Dulce et Decorum est" (meaning sweet and fitting it is). However, the title is meant sarcastically as Owen adopts a bitter tone to discuss war's horrors. Immediately, Owen illustrates the soldiers' appalling conditions upon their return to the Front, describing them as "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through Sludge." Comparing young soldiers to "beggars" and "hags" through similes has a profound impact.

Owen vividly describes the harsh conditions soldiers experienced during war, including a suggestion that they become weakened and aged women. This emphasizes the real effect war can have on individuals. Owen further reinforces this idea by describing how these men returned to the front, limping and bloodied.

Here, the soldiers are portrayed as being severely mentally and physically exhausted. They "limped on" while being "lame", "blind", and "deaf" which strongly conveys their distress and wretched state. Additionally, the use of "blood-shod" dehumanizes the soldiers and further emphasizes the extent of their suffering. Ultimately, they have reached a point where they are no longer recognizable as humans.

In the second stanza, Owen shifts his focus to a particular soldier who struggles to put on his gas mask in time: "Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!" the man cries. He then becomes frantic, stumbling and flailing like a person engulfed in

flames or lime...

Through the misty panes and thick green light, I saw him drowning like he was under a green sea. This gives the reader a chance to see from the perspective of a soldier and empathize with them on a personal level. We get to witness the true horrors of war through one soldier's eyes, rather than just propaganda from Begbie and Pope. The description is surreal and chaotic with powerful visual and aural imagery.

Owen employs a potent aquatic analogy to draw parallels between the soldier's demise from poison gas and drowning. This figurative language paints a vivid portrait of the scene, thus enhancing its impact. Additionally, the reference to a "green sea" indicates the soldier's agony and vulnerability during his final moments. The merciless realities of war are further emphasized by the description of him as "flound'ring like a man in fire".

The pain of the speaker's death is symbolized through a simile that emphasizes the horrors of war. In the third stanza, the speaker reflects on their friend's death from a new perspective. The repetition of commas in the sentence serves to prolong it and make it more tragic. These pauses may also be interpreted as sighs expressing the speaker's helplessness as they witness their friend's death.

In his fourth stanza, Owen critiques those individuals at home who promote the continuation of war without understanding its true nature. He suggests that if these ignorant individuals could experience his own "smothering dreams," which mimic the victim's suffering, they may change their views. Owen's use of the term "you" applies to both the general population and, more specifically, the propagandist poets who influenced his

writing.

Owen utilizes sickening descriptive detail to depict the sufferings of war, aiming to shock readers. Through his use of verbs such as "writhing" and "hanging," he conveys a particularly intense form of agony. Additionally, his comparison of a soldier's face to a "devils sick of sin" suggests that war can be nothing short of a hellish experience. Overall, Owen's graphic portrayal of one individual's war-related suffering underscores the profoundly horrific nature of warfare.

Owen conveyed his disdain towards propagandists through his poem's conclusion, which includes a bitter line: "The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro Patria mori." This phrase, meaning "the old lie: sweet and fitting it is to die for one's country," showcases Owen's profound disgust. Through vivid descriptions about soldiers in war, the poet emphasizes the atrocities of war. Ultimately, the main objective of "Dulce et Decorum Est" is to alert people of the realities of war.

Both "Disabled" and "Dulce et Decorum Est" aim to convey the devastating impact of war and were inspired by the propaganda of writers like Begbie and Pope, whose poems were meant to entice young men into enlisting without truly understanding the realities of conflict.