English Literature Lecture: War Poets

Overview

• War poets wrote during World War I, breaking away from 19th-century poetry conventions.
• Focused on war, emotions, opinions, direct experiences, propaganda, and denunciation.

Two Groups of War Poets

1. Patriotically Inclined Poets

• Saw war as a means of cleansing evil from the world.
• Believed in heroism, glory, and the ideals supported by patriotism and imperialism.
• Used romantic and lyrical language.
• Example: Rupert Brooke
  • Famous for the poem "The Soldier."
  • Emphasized the rhetoric of honor and patriotism.

2. Realistic and Critical Poets

• Viewed war as horror and tragedy.
• Focused on personal experiences and the harsh realities of war.
• Used crude, realistic language to highlight suffering.
• Criticized propaganda and false ideals.
• Example: Wilfred Owen
  • Born 1893, joined British Army in 1915.
  • Shocked by trench warfare experiences.
  • Influenced by Siegfried Sassoon.
  • Poems mostly written in 1917 and published posthumously.
  • Known for strong anti-war stance and truthful depiction of war.

Wilfred Owen's Perspective

Preface to His Works

• Not about heroism, legends, glory, or power.
• Focus on the pity of war, showing the truth without consolation.
• Emphasizes warning against propaganda.
• True poets should be truthful.

"Dulce et Decorum Est"

• Title means "It is sweet and proper to die for one's country."
• Aimed to debunk this propaganda line.
• Written in 1917, published in 1920.

Imagery and Language

• Opening Scenario:

  • Soldiers depicted as old, bent, and decrepit due to war's strain.
  • Powerful imagery showing physical and mental exhaustion.

• Gas Attack Scene:

  • Urgency and panic as soldiers fumble with gas masks.
  • Describes the horror of witnessing a comrade suffer and die from gas.

• Owen's Nightmares:

  • The trauma of war experiences haunting him in dreams.

Appeal to the Reader

• Invites readers to empathize with soldiers' suffering.
• Challenges the notion of war's glory as promoted by propaganda.
• Uses vivid, gruesome imagery to emphasize the falsehood of war's romanticization.

Conclusion

• Contrasts with Rupert Brooke's idealized view of war.
• Owen's firsthand experience provided a stark, realistic perspective on the futility and horror of war.
• Stresses the importance of recognizing truth over propagandized heroism.

Key Takeaways

• War poetry from WWI reflects diverse perspectives: romanticized patriotism vs. realistic horror.
• Wilfred Owen's work serves as a powerful denunciation of war propaganda and a call for truth in poetry.
• Literature serves as both artistic expression and a medium for important societal messages.