English Poetry during World War IEnglish Poetry during World War IThe “War Poets”The “War Poets”

• What do you think the response to war was in What do you think the response to war was in England, as much in other European countries?England, as much in other European countries?

• It was enthusiastic because a lot of volunteers It was enthusiastic because a lot of volunteers enrolled in the armed forces.enrolled in the armed forces.

• Some driven by a wish for glory and adventure, Some driven by a wish for glory and adventure, but most by genuine patriotism. (World War I but most by genuine patriotism. (World War I movies)movies)

• But after a few months the original enthusiasm But after a few months the original enthusiasm disappeared and was replaced by discomfort and disappeared and was replaced by discomfort and disillusionment. disillusionment.

English Poetry during World War IEnglish Poetry during World War I

• The heavy number of casualties made conscription The heavy number of casualties made conscription necessary. necessary.

• World War I also brought to an end the illusion that World War I also brought to an end the illusion that problems could be solved peacefully. problems could be solved peacefully.

• No war before or since then has had such a shattering No war before or since then has had such a shattering impact on the British population. impact on the British population.

BackgroundBackground

• Since ancient times it has been considered Since ancient times it has been considered heroic heroic to die in war. to die in war.

• Homer’s epic poem The Illiad celebrates, among Homer’s epic poem The Illiad celebrates, among other things, other things, the nobility of dying on the the nobility of dying on the battlefield. battlefield.

• This view continued well into the 19th Century This view continued well into the 19th Century (and even the 20th Century), and Tennyson’s (and even the 20th Century), and Tennyson’s popular poem ‘popular poem ‘The Charge of the Light BrigadeThe Charge of the Light Brigade’ ’ gives us an idea of how poets and people in gives us an idea of how poets and people in general thought about general thought about the “valour” of fighting and the “valour” of fighting and dying for one’s country:dying for one’s country:

BackgroundBackground

from from The Charge Of The Light BrigadeThe Charge Of The Light Brigadeby Alfred, Lord Tennyson, written 1854by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, written 1854

Memorializing Events in the Battle of Balaclava, October 25, 1854Memorializing Events in the Battle of Balaclava, October 25, 1854

Cannon to right of them, Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon to left of them,

Cannon behind themCannon behind themVolley’d and thunder’d; Volley’d and thunder’d;

When can their glory fade? When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! O the wild charge they made!

All the world wonder’d. All the world wonder’d. Honour the charge they made! Honour the charge they made!

Honour the Light Brigade, Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred.Noble six hundred.

BackgroundBackground

• These lines by Tennyson in may be well These lines by Tennyson in may be well written and rousing, but they are not very written and rousing, but they are not very realistic. realistic.

• The poets of the First World War changed The poets of the First World War changed all that with their efforts to give us an all that with their efforts to give us an accurate representation of accurate representation of trench warfare. .

The War PoetsThe War Poets

• In England it was first of all the voice of the young In England it was first of all the voice of the young poets, called poets, called War PoetsWar Poets, that first revealed the horrors , that first revealed the horrors of what trench life or death by gas were like.of what trench life or death by gas were like.

• What was the early response to the war?What was the early response to the war?• It was a sort of deep It was a sort of deep romanticromantic sense of patriotic dutysense of patriotic duty, ,

but as the war went on the but as the war went on the attitudeattitude changed and the changed and the poets poets turned to a more realistic sort of poetryturned to a more realistic sort of poetry, , inspired by inspired by personal experiencespersonal experiences of small and great of small and great tragedies of thousands of unknown people. tragedies of thousands of unknown people.

The War PoetsThe War Poets

How to translate the experience of war into poetry?How to translate the experience of war into poetry?

Obviously, since the experience of war was so tragic and devastating,Obviously, since the experience of war was so tragic and devastating,

the War Poets had to find a way to translate into poetry what they the War Poets had to find a way to translate into poetry what they hadhad

experienced, or in some cases were experiencing: most of the War experienced, or in some cases were experiencing: most of the War

Poets were soldiers in the war.Poets were soldiers in the war.

John Singer Sargent's painting Gassed hangs in the Imperial War Museum in London; the canvas is over seven feet high and twenty feet long.

The War PoetsThe War Poets

• As they realized what the war was really about, poets As they realized what the war was really about, poets abandoned the romantic vocabulary they had abandoned the romantic vocabulary they had previously used and felt the need for new means of previously used and felt the need for new means of expression, new rhythms and new styles that could expression, new rhythms and new styles that could better mirror the harsh reality of war. better mirror the harsh reality of war.

The War PoetsThe War Poets

• The War Poets (most famous: Rupert The War Poets (most famous: Rupert Brooke, Owen Seaman, Sigfrid Sasson, Brooke, Owen Seaman, Sigfrid Sasson, Wilfred Owen) shared many of the same Wilfred Owen) shared many of the same experiences.experiences.

• but focused on different aspects of the war but focused on different aspects of the war and used different means of expression. and used different means of expression.

The War Poets – Rupert BrookeThe War Poets – Rupert Brooke(1887 – 1915)(1887 – 1915)

• His war sonnets were written in the first His war sonnets were written in the first flush of patriotism and enthusiasm as a flush of patriotism and enthusiasm as a generation unused to war rushed to generation unused to war rushed to defend king and country. defend king and country.

• The poet W.B. Yeates described him as The poet W.B. Yeates described him as “the handsomest young man in “the handsomest young man in England”.England”.

• Brooke died in Greece in 1915, not in a Brooke died in Greece in 1915, not in a military battle but from an infected military battle but from an infected mosquito bite.mosquito bite.

The War Poets – Rupert BrookeThe War Poets – Rupert Brooke

The SoldierThe Soldier

If I should die, think only this of me:If I should die, think only this of me:That there's some corner of a foreign fieldThat there's some corner of a foreign fieldThat is for ever England. There shall beThat is for ever England. There shall beIn that rich earth a richer dust concealed;In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,A body of England's, breathing English air,A body of England's, breathing English air,Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,And think, this heart, all evil shed away,A pulse in the eternal mind, no lessA pulse in the eternal mind, no lessGives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

The War Poets – Owen SeamanThe War Poets – Owen Seaman(1861 – 1936)(1861 – 1936)

Another example of patriotism is shown by Another example of patriotism is shown by the following lines written by Owen the following lines written by Owen Seaman:Seaman:

England, in this great fight to which you goEngland, in this great fight to which you goBecause, where Honour calls you, go you must,Because, where Honour calls you, go you must,Be glad, whatever comes, at least to knowBe glad, whatever comes, at least to knowYou have your quarrel just.You have your quarrel just.

The War Poets - The War Poets - Sigfrid SassonSigfrid Sasson (1886 – 1967)(1886 – 1967)

• Sassoon enlisted at the beginning of the war out of patriotism, but broke his arm in a riding accident and spent the spring of 1915 in England instead of in battle

• His younger brother was killed at Gallipoli during this time

• Sassoon began writing anti-war poems, essays and letters very soon after his military service began

• In 1917 he sent a declaration against the war to the press and to prominent people; it was read in Parliament

• Sassoon could have been court-marshalled, but instead he was sent to a psychiatric hospital (Craiglockheart War Hospital), where he met the poet Wilfred Owen

• Sassoon and Owen were both sent back to the front in 1918; Sassoon was wounded in the head almost immediately and Owens was killed.

The War Poets - The War Poets - Sigfrid SassonSigfrid Sasson

Sassoon’s poems are a combination of pity and irony.Sassoon’s poems are a combination of pity and irony. Look at his poem Look at his poem Base Details:Base Details:

IF I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath,I’d live with scarlet Majors at the Base, And speed glum heroes up the line to death.  You’d see me with my puffy petulant face, Guzzling and gulping in the best hotel,   Reading the Roll of Honour. ‘Poor young chap,’ I’d say—‘I used to know his father well; Yes, we’ve lost heavily in this last scrap.’And when the war is done and youth stone dead, I’d toddle safely home and die in bed.

The War Poets - The War Poets - Sigfrid SassonSigfrid Sasson

• The irony here is in the comfortable life of the The irony here is in the comfortable life of the commanders – the Majors – who monitor the war commanders – the Majors – who monitor the war from the luxury of hotel rooms, reading with from the luxury of hotel rooms, reading with indifference the list of dead soldiers who have indifference the list of dead soldiers who have died in the battlefield.died in the battlefield.

• They will not die in the battlefields of Flanders, They will not die in the battlefields of Flanders, but securely in their beds, long after the war has but securely in their beds, long after the war has ended.ended.

The War Poets – The War Poets – Wilfred OwenWilfred Owen

• Owen portrayed the idea of Owen portrayed the idea of war as a cause of physical war as a cause of physical and spiritual mutilation and and spiritual mutilation and used understatements to used understatements to bring a certain deal of bring a certain deal of harshness into his poetry. harshness into his poetry.

Dulce et decorum est pro patria moriDulce et decorum est pro patria moriby Wilfred Owenby Wilfred Owen

(1893 – 1918)(1893 – 1918)

'My subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity. Yet these elegies are to this generation in no sense consolatory. They may be to the next. All a poet can do today is warn. That is why the true Poets must be truthful.'

Owen was killed in action in France in 1918, just a week before the war ended, causing the news of his death to reach his hometown just as the church bells rang to declare peace.

Dulce Et Decorum EstDulce Et Decorum Est

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

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

Till on the Till on the haunting flareshaunting flares we turned our backs we turned our backs

And towards our distant rest began to trudge.And towards our distant rest began to trudge.

Men marched asleep. Many had lost their bootsMen marched asleep. Many had lost their boots

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

Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hootsDrunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots

Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.

GAS! Gas! Quick, boys! An ecstasy of fumbling,GAS! Gas! Quick, boys! An ecstasy of fumbling,

Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;

But someone still was yelling out and stumblingBut someone still was yelling out and stumbling

And floundering like a man in fire or lime.And floundering like a man in fire or lime.

Dim, through the misty panes and thick green lightDim, through the misty panes and thick green light

As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could paceIf in some smothering dreams you too could pace

Behind the wagon that we flung him in,Behind the wagon that we flung him in,

And watch the white eyes And watch the white eyes writhingwrithing in his face, in his face,

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

If you could hear, at every jolt, the bloodIf you could hear, at every jolt, the blood

Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,

Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cudObscene as cancer, bitter as the cud

Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,

My friend, you would not tell with such high zestMy friend, you would not tell with such high zest

To children ardent for some desperate glory,To children ardent for some desperate glory,

The old Lie: The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Dulce et decorum est

Pro patria mori.Pro patria mori.

ThemeTheme

• Wilfred Owen fought in some of the major Wilfred Owen fought in some of the major battles of World War I and the reality and battles of World War I and the reality and horror of war shocked him.horror of war shocked him.

• In the face of the desperate suffering he In the face of the desperate suffering he saw around him, it was no longer possible saw around him, it was no longer possible to pretend warfare was adventurous and to pretend warfare was adventurous and heroic. heroic.

ThemeTheme

• The theme of ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ is thatThe theme of ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ is that• there is neither nobility in war, nor honour in there is neither nobility in war, nor honour in

fighting for your countryfighting for your country. . • Instead there is tragedy, futility and waste of human Instead there is tragedy, futility and waste of human

life. Owen wanted people who were not in the trenches life. Owen wanted people who were not in the trenches – the people at home in England – to see the reality and – the people at home in England – to see the reality and misery of war.misery of war.

• He also wanted them to stop telling future generations He also wanted them to stop telling future generations the “old lie” Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (“It is the “old lie” Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (“It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.”). sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.”).

• It is worth noting that these lines were written by the It is worth noting that these lines were written by the poet Horace, two thousand years earlier.poet Horace, two thousand years earlier.

ImageryImagery

• The The firstfirst in the opening stanza: a group of soldiers in the opening stanza: a group of soldiers moves through no-man’s land in an attempt to get moves through no-man’s land in an attempt to get back to the relative safety of the trenches. back to the relative safety of the trenches.

• The The secondsecond image (found in the second stanza) is image (found in the second stanza) is more dramatic: Notice how the first words of the more dramatic: Notice how the first words of the stanza change the pace of the poem, making it more stanza change the pace of the poem, making it more urgent as the soldiers come under attack and try to urgent as the soldiers come under attack and try to put on their gas masks before they chokeput on their gas masks before they choke

• The dream quality of this stanza gives way to the The dream quality of this stanza gives way to the thirdthird and final image: A picture of the dead man as and final image: A picture of the dead man as his body is put on a wagon filled with the bodies of his body is put on a wagon filled with the bodies of other dead soldiers.other dead soldiers.

Rhyme, metre, tone, metaphor Rhyme, metre, tone, metaphor and simileand simile

• Look for examples in the poem where the poet uses Look for examples in the poem where the poet uses rhyme, half rhyme and alliterationrhyme, half rhyme and alliteration. See how these . See how these devices are used to change the pace and rhythm of the devices are used to change the pace and rhythm of the poem.poem.

• What is the metric form of the poem? Where and why What is the metric form of the poem? Where and why does the poet deviate from this form?does the poet deviate from this form?

• What is the What is the tonetone of the poem? What adjectives can of the poem? What adjectives can you come up with to describe it?you come up with to describe it?

• What are some of the What are some of the metaphors and similesmetaphors and similes? What ? What effect do they have on the reader?effect do they have on the reader?

Adapted from a galilei-dolo (Italy) presentation:Adapted from a galilei-dolo (Italy) presentation:

ggalilei-dolo.provincia.venezia.it/.../students/5C/Dulce%20et%20decorum %20est%20pro%20patria%20mori%20web.pptalilei-dolo.provincia.venezia.it/.../students/5C/Dulce%20et%20decorum %20est%20pro%20patria%20mori%20web.ppt