The Attitudes to the First World War in Poetry
Compare and contrast the attitudes to the First World War in the
poetry you have read. Focus in detail on four poems, two of which
should be by the same author.
When the war started the general feeling of the English was that the
war was great and would be over before Christmas. This is evident in
much of the early war poetry. As the war progressed, however, people
began to feel disillusioned and eventually had an overwhelming feeling
of futility in that so many lives were wasted for such little gain.
The people back home were left feeling bitter as they gained knowledge
about the suffering these young men had endured. The poetry I am going
to analyse ‘The Soldier’ by Rupert Brooke, ‘Cricket’ by Jessie Pope,
‘Dulce et Decorum est’ and ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ by Wilfred Owen
reflects these changing views.
Rupert Brooke was born in 1887. He joined the Navy at the start of the
war, but died in 1915 whilst going to take part in the Dardenelles
campaign. In 1914, Brooke composed his poem ‘The Soldier’ which is the
fifth poem in a collection of five which displays the glory of war.
As he saw little action in the Great War, Rupert Brooke was unaware of
the terrible conditions in the trenches. This was because he never
fought on the battlefields and due to this Brooke holds a much more
glorified view of war. Brooke describes his death in ‘The Soldier’. He
talks about how he is not scared of dying; describing the way in which
he will rest in peace “under an English heaven.” Rupert Brooke sees
England as idyllic and tranquil and talks about his love for his
motherland. Brooke feels by fighting for England he is giving
something back.
Brooke uses many language techniques to portray his feelings. He uses
repetition of the word “England” to show his patriotism. He refers to
the English country as a female; “Gave once, her flowers to love, her
ways to roam” This makes highly effective use of personification. It
shows Brooke's romantic view towards his country, making the reader
feel proud for his country as well. Religious overtones such as “evil
shed away”, “eternal mind”, “blessed” and “English heaven” are used
throughout ‘The Soldier’ to show purity and to portray the typical
views of a Christian country.
To make the poem calm and poetic, Brooke uses natural imagery such as
“air”, “river” and “flowers”. The effects of these words make the
reader feel happy and calm. Sibilance is used with; “Sights and
sound”. This soft sounding alliteration slows the pace which makes the
Portrayal of War in the Pre 1900 Poetry Before 1900, war was always seen as a glorious thing. People truly believed in the words of the ancient writer Horace, "Dulce et decorum est, pro patria mori. " This phrase can be translated, as "It is a lovely and honourable thing; to die for one's country". Pre 1900 war poetry was strongly patriotic and glossed over the grim reality of death, preferring instead to display the heroic aspects of fighting. If death was mentioned, it was only in a noble and glorious context.
War Explored in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, and Leap to Freedom by Kasenkina
All Quiet on the Western Front was a sad tale of Paul Bäumer, a lad just entering adulthood, who
are not free in service, you do what you are told and this is the same
A Comparison Of Differing Views/Attitudes To War With Reference To Regeneration, Strange Meeting, Selected Poetry and A Journeys End
Post 1900 War Poetry By looking at several war poems written before and after 1900, I can see that many elements of the types of poetry change greatly in several ways. I will be looking at a selection of war poems written by three different poets, in chronological order, so as to see if the attitudes to war and writing styles change over time or during various stages of the war. Firstly I will be looking at a poem written by Alfred Tennyson about the charge against the Russian gunners in 1854. The poem is called "The Charge of the Light Brigade" as it is exactly what happened.
Nothing can impact society like war. War can be viewed as noble and just, or cruel and inhuman, as well as everything in between. War can make a man a hero, or it can make him a criminal. War affects everyone in society whether they are fighting in the trenches or waiting at home for a loved one to return. War has been the topic of countless pieces of literature, in the poem 'Dulce et Decorum Est,' by Wilfred Owen and the poem 'To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars,' by Richard Lovelace, both show two very different sides to war.
if it is going to glorify the war and all the people who fought for
about war as if it is a joke and the scary aspect of the war is taken
Literature and poetry are a reflection of society. The words are reflected in numerous feelings that we can almost touch and can be deeply felt in its reach. Most poets expressed their perception and emotion through their writings. Unfortunately the art and poetry describes one of the worst things that human can do to one another. The legalized murder called "war." Hence, this type of self-reflection called "poetry" has help create new fundamental ideas and values towards our society. In this essay, I will discuss the issue of the "War Poetry" during the "Great War" along with comparing and contrasting two talented renowned poets; Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) and Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967).
The next line expresses the way in which he has no grave stone, just a
Considered the leading English poet of the First World War, Owen is remembered for realistic poems depicting the horrors of war, which were inspired by his experiences at the Western Front in 1916 and 1917. Owen considered the true subject of his poems to be "the pity of war," and attempted to present the true horror and realities of battle and its effects on the human spirit. His unique voice, which is less passionate and idealistic than those of other war poets, is complemented by his unusual and experimental style of writing. He is recognized as the first English poet to successfully use pararhyme, in which the rhyme is made through altered vowel sounds. Owen’s distinct way of both writing and reading poems led to influence other poets in the 1920s and 1930s.
How Wilfred Owen Uses Language and Imagery in His Poetry to Communicate his Attitudes of War
Tennyson’s poem has a lot of action in it but Binyon’s poem is a view
World War I impacted poetry profoundly. Poets who served in the war were using poetry to share their horrific stories about the hardships they faced. These poets became known as “war poets.” They wrote about the traumatic, life changing experiences that haunted them once the war was over. Intense poems started emerging that portrayed the mental and physical struggles soldiers faced. Two examples of the impact that World War I had on poetry is seen in the poems “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen and “Repression of War Experience” by Siegfried Sassoon.