The World War I (also known as “the Great War”) had a strong impact in the history of the 20th century.Through the 4 years that the Great War took place (1914 - 1918) millions of people died, the first use of chemical weapons was marked, the first mass attack on civilians from the sky took place,poison gas became a weapon used on the battlefield, and there were millions of people that lost their lives. Many were also injured and left shattered.
However according to history records, these are not the only things the Great War had an impact on. The war also had a major effect on poetry. Talented poets like Siegfreid Sassoon, Edward Thomas, Isaac Rosenberg and Wilfred Owen all expressed their views and stories of the war using poetry. Amongst the crowd, Wilfred Owen stood out for his distinguished and amusing way
Wilfred Owen was not just a great poet; he was also a soldier that fought in the war. Owen was a born of Tom and Susan Owen on the 18th of March 1893 in Oswestry, England. At an early stage, Owen gained interest in poetry but there is no EXACT record as at when he started writing them.
In between 1914 and 1915, Owen became increasingly aware of the magnitude of the War. Before this Owen visited hospitals and he was well familiar with many of the wars wounded.
Finally at the age of 22, Owen went back to England and enlisted in the British army. This was how his journey started. Owen described his decision to join the army in September, 1915. His exact words were; "I came out in order to help these boys--directly by leading them as well as an officer can; indirectly, by watching their sufferings that I may speak of them as well as a leader can. I have done the first."
This all changed within 2 years. Owen's perspectives of life had evolved from being a young man that found great interest in poetry to a man that spent his last minutes fighting for his country, Owen died on the 4th November when he tried to lead his men across the battlefield. In one of his poems, he quoted;
". . .Above all I am not concerned with Poetry.
My Subject is War, and the Pity of War,
The Poetry is in the Pity."
Although he lived only 25 years, he became known as one of the most popular War Poets.
Dulce Et Decorum Est is originally a Latin title from a line of Horace. This was the title that Owen gave to one of his poems meaning “It is sweet and honourable to die for one's country”. However his reasons for the title were not to prove the saying but to mock it and bring another meaning to the honour of dying at war.
The poem is split in four stanzas. Three of them describe a terrible incident which he experienced. From the beginning of this poem you get the picture of tired, hopeless, and wrecked soldiers that are spending the last of their strength trudging back to their camps after a fight on the battlefield.
After reading the poem, I could create a picture of devastation and soldiers clinging on to life. In their pain they cursed, bled, and limped as they tagged along. I could also picture them looking forward to resting. As if that wasn't enough, within seconds they were attacked by gas and even in their weak condition, they still struggled and hurried to put on their gas masks. Unfortunately, someone wasn't fast enough to put on his mask and he got caught up in the gas. They tried to help him but they couldn't ease his pain. All they could do was throw him at the back of the wagon where he suffered much more pain as Death was gently eating him away when the wagon jolted as they drove away.
Owen uses an agonizing way of expressing his experience in the First, second and third stanza. In those days, most people were probably under the impression that going to fight for your country in war was right and honourable. Other poets also portrayed war like this; as a thing worthy and honourable to do. However they left out the painful and bitter side of the story. This is where Wilfred Owen came in.
Maybe because of his war experience he knew that of all things it wasn't sweet to die. His message was clearly passed across to the people. In pure words Owen was saying“dying for your country is not as sweet as it sounds, it's not right and it's very painful”.
Other poets portrayed the war as something worthy of pride; something to boast and tell others about, Owen saw it as a terrible experience, one that could haunt you till the end of your days. His quote;
