World War One Poetry Essay Example
World War One Poetry Essay Example

World War One Poetry Essay Example

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  • Pages: 6 (1497 words)
  • Published: August 18, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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The First World War commenced on August 4th, 1914, with hostilities between soldiers from Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia, and the USA against troops from Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey.

World War One had multiple causes, including conflicts over Alsace-Lorraine between Germany and France and disputes between Russia and Austria-Hungary regarding the Balkan States. Additionally, Germany's desire for power over other European nations led to extensive fighting on land and sea. However, it was the soldiers who participated in Trench Warfare that are most remembered for their critical role in this devastating conflict. This new form of warfare defined the bloody battles that occurred throughout World War One. The trenches were situated in western Europe where thousands of soldiers endured deplorable conditions from 1914 to 1918.

During the war, soldiers faced harsh medical conditions and tr

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aumatic memories, including 'Trench Foot', which made coping difficult. The war resulted in 8,538,315 fatalities, 21,219,452 injuries and left 7,750,919 soldiers captured or missing. In an attempt to find comfort amidst unbearable circumstances, poetry became a means for soldiers to express their emotions. This artistic expression had a lasting impact on poetry as a whole; many patriotic poems written during this time inspired numerous men to enlist in the military.

Rupert Brooke, born in Rugby in 1887, is a poet known for his work 'The Soldier'. The poem portrays a soldier who willingly sacrifices their life while fighting for their country on foreign soil. It emphasizes that the foreign field will always be "For ever England" and if an English soldier dies, it would be "under an English heaven." By glorifying England's worthiness, Brooke imbues powerful imagery through strategic word selection like the

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use of "foreign field". He frequently mentions words such as "England" and "English", invoking patriotism amongst readers.

Although Brooke's poem successfully stirs patriotism in me, it has been criticized for its narrow focus on death. It is worth noting that Brooke lacked personal experience with death when he wrote the poem, which raises questions about his level of comprehension. Some argue that the poem was intended as propaganda but may not have reached a wider audience beyond highly patriotic individuals. Instead, I will turn my attention to Jesse Pope's poetry, which also serves as propaganda but in a different style. One significant contrast is that Pope is a female who did not participate in the War or trenches. Of her works, "The Call" stands out as particularly noteworthy.

This poem consists of three verses, each containing three lines. It poses the informal question "Who's for the trench - Are you, My Laddie?" and uses phrases like "who longs to charge and shoot" to create the impression that soldiering is easy and enjoyable. This portrayal could entice young men to voluntarily enlist in the armed forces, but I find it appalling. Pope's use of repetition in every other line and the fast rhythm of the poem create a sense that the question is aimed directly at the reader, but this may detract from a full understanding of the message.

In regards to Pope's poem, my reaction is limited to anger due to her failure to grasp the genuine emotional struggles of those who have experienced war. The composition lacks intellectual depth and instead reads like a simple nursery rhyme. In comparison to the works of someone like Wilfred

Owen, the emotion displayed falls short. To improve the poem, a greater use of appropriate and complex language, along with more descriptive elements, would benefit it.However, as Pope has never experienced the true horror of war, I find the poem insulting. Additionally, her poem 'Socks' serves as mere propaganda.

'Socks' is a poem by Pope with a strong message encouraging men to enlist in the Army. The poem portrays a mother making socks for her son who is away at war. The opening line, "Keen and merry, but his lip quivered when he said good-bye-", captures the emotional turmoil of leaving for war. The last stanza expresses hope that the soldier will return victorious, which may appeal to young men considering enlistment. However, this message of false hope is concerning. Pope's informal and simplistic writing style may add to this negative portrayal.

Reading this poem may have persuaded me to enlist, but it's incorrect and lacks realism. Realism poems, which I believe are the best War poems, require exceptional skill to create. It's tragic that the young poets who wrote them were killed in the War and could not produce more unique works. Wilfred Owen is the first poet I'm discussing. Born on March 18th, 1893, he was teaching on the continent when the War started. After visiting a hospital for the wounded, he returned to England in September 1925 and chose to enlist in the Army.

Within his oeuvre, 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' stands as one of Owen's most remarkable works. Therein, Owen elucidates how the British public and press endeavored to console themselves amid the deaths of many young soldiers, presupposing that these fatalities were both

patriotic and heroic, ultimately justifiable. The true circumstances, though, were quite the opposite: the soldiers died in appalling and horrific ways. By conveying the atrocities of war directly to readers, Owen's intended to unveil its true repugnancy and cruelty.

Owen expresses in his poem how others will urge you to fight for your country, but actually doing so only leads to an untimely demise. The breaks in the poem showcase Owen's strong opposition towards the concept. The title, "Sweet and Fitting it is," is rendered false as Owen reveals the truth about fighting in a war. The poem is filled with vivid imagery and irony, especially considering that Owen himself lost his life in the very war he was against. Despite this tragic end, Owen was widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Twentieth century.

According to Owen, War isn't worthwhile because it promotes the falsehood that it's "sweet and fitting to die for one's country". His poem generates strong emotions in me and makes me realize that I was mistaken to believe War was righteous, because Owen depicts the true nature of the War. Among all the War-time poetry I've read, this one is considerably more impactful. Owen also wrote a poem titled 'Disabled'.

Wilfred Owen employs beautiful language to depict the realities of life after enduring the trenches in this poem. The first stanza introduces a character who is confined to a "wheeled chair," implying that he will permanently lose the ability to walk and will depend on others for his survival. Although this character once found joy in activities that he can no longer engage in, like hearing voices at a park,

he still expresses delight by shouting and screaming.

The text portrays boys playing after work, something that is no longer possible for a man depicted by Owen as "waiting for dark". This suggests that the man longs for night to be able to flee from his dependent world and reminisce about his lost life due to war. The notion of darkness provides him with a motherly figure that cares for him, enabling him to escape his reality. Furthermore, Owen mentions the man's nocturnal social life, highlighting how he used to go out with girls at night, but he now realizes that he will never experience it again. This contrast evokes a profound sense of sorrow for the man's current situation.

By using the phrase "before he threw away his knees," the man is conveyed as intentionally giving up his legs. The subsequent stanzas reflect on the man's younger days when he enjoyed displaying "manly blood" on his legs, which is now a contrast, given his current legless state. The man joined the army at a tender age of 18, which has now ended his life. Owen illustrates the aftermath of war with elegance, highlighting that the day the man entered the army was also the day his life as he knew it came to an end.

In his poem "Glory of Woman," Siegfried Sassoon portrays the various roles that women played in war, including their contributions in factories and as mothers of soldiers. The poem also reveals Sassoon's contempt for many women who lack an understanding of the true horrors of war. By contrast, Jesse Pope's poetry glorifies war rather than empathizing with the suffering of soldiers.

Despite their distinct differences, both poets demonstrate great talent in their respective works. Nevertheless, the loss of life during the war remains a tragedy, and the ability to write about war in a sensitive manner appears limited to male poets.

Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon excel at portraying the true horror of war, while women like Jesse Pope, who have no firsthand experience of war, should not be labeled as "war poets." I believe that war poetry will always be relevant because it honors the memory of those who tragically lost their lives during World War One.

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