War Poetry

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This Blog is a part of Thinking Activity task assigned by Professor Prakruti Bhatt Ma'am, and this illustrate the large part of time world War and here the poem is portraits the how express psychological and emotional trauma of soldiers. And for more information about world war 1 so watch the video and get what is the context of world War and how reflect on poetry. 

War Poetry: A Comparative Study

Question : 1

Choose one poem from the English literary cannon which deals with the theme of war and compare it with any one of the five war poems you have studied in this unit. [Discuss aspects like the style of the poems, language employed, treatment of the theme of war, etc.] How are they different? Are there any similarities?

Answer :

➡️  Comparison Between "The Battle of Blenheim" by Robert Southey and "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen

"The Battle of Blenheim"

     Written by Robert Southey, this poem recounts the Battle of Blenheim, a key conflict in the War of the Spanish Succession (1704). Through the perspective of an old man, the poem reflects on the battle’s impact on future generations and critiques the glorification of war.

"Dulce et Decorum Est"

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,

Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs

And towards our distant rest began to trudge.

Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,

But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;

Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots

Of disappointed shells that dropped behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—an ecstasy of fumbling,

Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;

But someone still was yelling out and stumbling

And floundering like a man in fire or lime.—

Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,

As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace

Behind the wagon that we flung him in,

And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,

His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;

If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood

Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,

Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud

Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—

My friend, you would not tell with such high zest

To children ardent for some desperate glory,

The old Lie; Dulce et decorum est

Pro patria mori.

     Written by Wilfred Owen, this poem critiques the notion that it is "sweet and fitting" to die for one's country, as suggested by the famous Latin phrase "Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori." Owen describes a gruesome scene from World War I, showing the brutality of war and the suffering of soldiers.

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Comparison

Aspect	"The Battle of Blenheim"	"Dulce et Decorum Est"
Style	Narrative, with an ironic, reflective tone.	Free verse, direct, emotional, and graphic in its portrayal of war.
Language	Simple and folk-like language, with an ironic tone.	Harsh, raw language emphasizing the gruesome reality of war.
Treatment of War	Critiques the glorification of war through a reflective lens.	Directly critiques the myth of dying for one’s country, showing the horrors of war.
Imagery	Uses stark, ironic imagery, such as "The boy's eyes grew large and wild" and "The blood-red sunset."	Vivid, disturbing imagery of soldiers dying, such as "guttering, choking, drowning."
Tone	Ironic and contemplative, with a sense of questioning.	Bitter,  disillusioned, and angry at the futility of war.

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Differences

• Tone: "The Battle of Blenheim" has a reflective, almost detached tone, as the speaker comments on the battle’s futility. It questions why wars are fought and whether they are worth the destruction they cause. In contrast, Owen’s "Dulce et Decorum Est" is angry and raw, condemning the glorification of war and exposing its horrors.
• Style: Southey’s poem is more narrative and slower-paced, recounting the aftermath of the battle from a reflective perspective. Owen’s poem, however, uses a direct, graphic depiction of a soldier’s death to criticize the notion of war as honorable.
• Language: Southey’s language is more ironic and simple, reflecting the distance between the past and present. Owen uses harsh, visceral imagery to convey the physical and emotional toll of war, making it feel immediate and intense.

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Similarities

• Critique of War: Both poems question the glorification of war. Southey’s poem does so by showing the long-term, generational effects of war, while Owen’s poem directly critiques the notion that dying for one’s country is noble.
• Impact on Soldiers: Both poems explore the psychological and physical effects of war on those who experience it. Southey highlights the lasting memories of war, while Owen focuses on the immediate trauma and death.
• Use of Imagery: Both poems use vivid, sometimes haunting imagery to convey the destructive nature of war.

➡️       While "The Battle of Blenheim" by Robert Southey critiques war through a reflective and ironic tone, "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen critiques war with a raw and immediate portrayal of its horrors. Both poems ultimately condemn the glorification of war, but they do so in different ways: Southey through irony and distance, and Owen through direct, vivid imagery. These differences highlight the varying approaches to war poetry, reflecting different historical contexts and the evolving public perception of war.

Question : 2

• "War poetry is not necessarily ‘anti-war’. It is, however, about the very large questions of life: identity, innocence, guilt, loyalty, courage, compassion, humanity, duty, desire, death." Discuss this statement in the context of any two of the war poems you have studied.

Answer:

➡️    To discuss the statement, "War poetry is not necessarily ‘anti-war’. It is, however, about the very large questions of life: identity, innocence, guilt, loyalty, courage, compassion, humanity, duty, desire, death," we can look at how two war poems—Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen and The Target by Ivor Gurney—engage with these deep human questions.

1. Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen :

Theme of Death:

• Owen’s poem starkly presents the horrific reality of war, showing death not as a noble end but as painful and grotesque. The soldier’s death from a gas attack is described in harrowing detail, illustrating the brutal and dehumanizing nature of war.

• “My friend, you would not tell with such high zest / To children ardent for some desperate glory, / The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est / Pro patria mori.”       -     This reflects the harsh reality of death in war, subverting the notion that it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.

• Theme of Guilt and Humanity:

  • Owen’s speaker criticizes the glorification of war and expresses a sense of guilt about how society encourages young people to view dying for their country as honorable.
  • The line “My friend, you would not tell with such high zest” addresses the emotional and moral guilt of encouraging others to partake in war without understanding its horrific consequences.

• Theme of Innocence:

  • The soldiers are portrayed as innocent victims of war, described as “coughing like hags” and “blind,” highlighting how war strips them of their innocence and humanity. They are not heroic figures, but tired, wounded, and broken individuals.

2. The Target by Ivor Gurney : 

Theme of Identity:

• • Gurney’s poem explores the internal conflict of a soldier who has killed another man. The act of killing challenges the soldier’s sense of self and identity, particularly as he reflects on the shared humanity of the enemy soldier.
  • “This man I killed, my comrade kind, / Of good hard-working folk – my kind” reveals the internal struggle as the soldier sees the other as no different from himself, highlighting the theme of shared identity across the lines of enemy soldiers.

• Theme of Guilt:

  • The soldier feels a profound sense of guilt for taking another life, reflecting on the shared nature of humanity between the enemy and himself. The question of whether it was justified reveals the moral conflict he faces.

• Theme of Loyalty and Duty:

  • The soldier’s actions are motivated by duty to his country, but Gurney complicates this notion by portraying the killing as emotionally distressing. The soldier’s loyalty is questioned as he faces the moral ambiguity of his actions. The duty to kill for one’s country conflicts with his growing realization of the futility of war.

• Theme of Compassion:

  • Gurney highlights the soldier’s compassion for the man he killed, referring to the enemy soldier as a “comrade” and showing empathy for his death. This compassion underscores the moral complexity of war, as soldiers are forced to kill people who are not so different from themselves.

Both poems grapple with deep questions of identity, guilt, humanity, loyalty, death, and compassion in the context of war. Owen's Dulce et Decorum Est critiques the glorification of war and exposes the brutal reality of death, while Gurney's The Target explores the internal conflict and moral ambiguity soldiers face when they kill another human being. These poems illustrate that war poetry is not simply "anti-war"; it is an exploration of the emotional, psychological, and ethical dilemmas faced by soldiers, forcing readers to confront the larger, complex questions of life in times of conflict.

Question : 3 

• Compare Ivor Gurney's The Target with Wilfred Owen's Dulce et Decorum Est. What are some notable similarities and differences between these two war poets and their poetry?

Answer :

Here's a two major poems which about the war period and  are both written by war poet. Ivor and Wilfred are both very Great poet and they Describe as himself in poetry, so in below we can find some difference and similarities between them poetry. 

Ivor Gurney's "The Target" and Wilfred Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est" are two poignant poems written by British war poets during World War I, addressing the horrors of war and its impact on soldiers. While both explore the brutal realities of warfare, they do so in different ways, reflecting the unique voices and experiences of each poet. And 

Similarities:

1. Anti-War Sentiment: Both poems convey powerful anti-war messages. Gurney’s The Target and Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est challenge the glorification of war, exposing its grim and devastating consequences. Gurney shows the psychological toll of war on soldiers, while Owen directly condemns the notion that it is sweet and honorable to die for one's country.

2. Graphic Depictions of War: Both poems include vivid and graphic descriptions of the violence and suffering soldiers endure. Owen’s "Dulce et Decorum Est" is known for its harrowing portrayal of a soldier’s death by gas attack, while Gurney’s The Target conveys the sense of being a target in war, evoking feelings of vulnerability and the inevitability of death.

3. The Dehumanization of Soldiers: In both works, soldiers are depicted as victims of a brutal system that dehumanizes them. In Owen's poem, soldiers are reduced to "beggars" and "cattle," while Gurney's The Target shows the soldier as a mere target, stripped of individuality, focusing on the bleak inevitability of death.

4. Experiences of Trauma: Both poets, having experienced the horrors of war firsthand, write from a place of personal trauma. Gurney’s own struggles with mental health following his service, and Owen’s traumatic experiences with poison gas and the death of comrades, inform the emotional depth and realism in both poems.

Differences:

1. Tone and Style:

• Owen’s Tone: "Dulce et Decorum Est" is known for its sharp, bitter tone, especially in its final lines. Owen uses irony to emphasize the falsehood of the phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori," meaning "It is sweet and honorable to die for your country." The poem is a direct assault on the glorification of war.

• Gurney’s Tone: In contrast, Gurney’s The Target carries a more contemplative and introspective tone. While it highlights the horror of war, it also touches on the psychological burden carried by soldiers, perhaps reflecting Gurney’s personal anguish and sense of futility.

1. Focus on the Individual vs. the Collective:

   • Owen’s "Dulce et Decorum Est" focuses on the collective suffering of soldiers, with an emphasis on the graphic, shared experience of a gas attack. It is a direct critique of the idea that war is noble for all soldiers, calling into question the glorification of sacrifice.
   • Gurney’s "The Target", however, seems to center on the personal experience of being a soldier, portraying the soldier as a target, subject to external forces beyond their control. It conveys a more individual, internalized perspective on war, emphasizing vulnerability and personal fear.

2. Poetic Imagery:

   • Owen uses stark, visceral imagery to describe the horrific effects of war, such as the description of the soldier “guttering, choking, drowning” in a gas attack. The imagery is immediate and traumatic.
   • Gurney, on the other hand, uses less direct and more reflective imagery. The Target reflects a deeper psychological torment, with metaphors of being a target or prey, highlighting the emotional toll and internalized fear rather than direct physical suffering.

3. Structure and Language:

• Owen’s poem uses a more structured, formal style with a regular rhyme scheme in the first stanza, which breaks down as the poem progresses, mirroring the collapse of the soldiers' bodies and spirits. The poem’s final lines are famously direct, an impassioned rejection of the idea that dying for one's country is sweet.
• Gurney’s poem tends to be more irregular in form, perhaps reflecting the fragmented mental state of a soldier in war. The language is often softer, allowing for more introspection, as the poem explores the psychological experience of war.

Both Ivor Gurney and Wilfred Owen are deeply concerned with the brutal realities of war, but they express this in different ways. Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est is a direct and biting critique of the patriotic rhetoric surrounding war, focusing on the immediate, physical horrors. Gurney’s The Target, while equally grim, offers a more internalized view, emphasizing the soldier’s personal vulnerability and the psychological torment of being in war. Both poets, shaped by their personal experiences in World War I, contribute to the broader tradition of war poetry that denounces the glorification of conflict and reveals its true cost. And with other poem Similarities and differences here find so for that Click here. 

Conclusion : 

War poetry has long been a powerful medium for exploring not only the immediate horrors of conflict but also the deeper, more profound questions about life, identity, and humanity. Poets like Ivor Gurney and Wilfred Owen are often seen as the voice of the soldiers in the trenches, giving expression to the mental, emotional, and physical toll of war.

Reference : 

“Dulce et Decorum Est.” Poets.Org, Academy of American Poets, 24 May 2019, poets.org/poem/dulce-et-decorum-est. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024. 

“The Target by Ivor Gurney.” By Ivor Gurney - Famous Poems, Famous Poets. - All Poetry, allpoetry.com/The-Target. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024. 

“The Battle of Blenheim, by Robert Southey.” Poetry Archive | Poems, www.poetry-archive.com/s/the_battle_of_blenheim/. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024. 

Thank you.