Attitude Towards War in Poetry

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Attitude Towards War in Poetry

Compare three war poems demonstrating awareness of the poet’s attitude

towards war.

The three poems I am comparing are ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ by Wilfred

Owen, ‘Vergismeinnicht’ by Keith Douglas and ‘War photographer’ by

Carol Ann Duffy. ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ is based on a world war one

personal experience. Wilfred Owen was brought up with a religious

background, which shows through, in his writing. His total war

experience was short, as he died in battle in 1918 aged only 25.

‘Vergismeinnicht’ is based on world war two. Keith Douglas served in

North Africa during world war two where he was injured but not killed

once he recovered he participated in the invasion of Normandy in 1944

where he died. ‘War photographer’ is neither based on world war one or

two, it is more about war in general. Carol Ann Duffy personally felt

that British people did not understand meaning or feeling of war. She

was personally friendly with Don McCullin the famous photographer she

wrote about.

Each poem has a different subject yet they are all clearly related

through their fundamental ideas. The main point of ‘Dulce et Decorum

est’ is to try to help nieve soldiers realise the truth about war and

the army from someone who knows. Owen describes the soldiers in a very

unpleasant way using expressions like ‘ old beggars’ and ‘hags’. As

the soldiers march on ‘drunk with fatigue’, they are shocked by a gas

attack. In a panic most of the soldiers manage to get their gas masks

on but one soldier was just a little bit to late and consequently

died. The last paragraph of the poem is describing the inhumanely way

that the soldiers dealt with the body. ‘ We flung him in’.

Vergissmeinnicht has a slightly...

... middle of paper ...

...ike ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ which

has rhyming couplets from the first two verses but no distinct pattern

in the last verse. In ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ there are many references

to sound. ‘Deaf to the hoots of gas-shells dropping softly behind.’

this is obviously metaphorical because gas-shells do not drop softly

but it reinforces how the soldiers felt. They were se exhausted that

they could hardly hear they were under attack.

To conclude I have noticed that all poets have a similarly different

outlook on war. Where as Wilfred Owen sees war as a cold and cruel

reality, Carol Ann Duffy can only see it through the eyes of her

friend Don McCullin the war photographer. However, she captures the

animosity and fear in a much-defined way. Keith Douglas is a lot more

remorseful and apologetic towards those who experience war weather it

is directly or indirectly.

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