World War One
“Dulce et Decorum Est” is a poem written by Wilfred Owen explaining the experience of the use of gas during the First World War. Wilfred Owen was a soldier during the war and also a poet who narrated the experiences he underwent as soldier during the First World War. In his poem he writes about the physical torture as well as the psychological upset that the British soldiers as a result of chlorine gas used by the enemies to attack them. When the gas was released the soldiers had to put on their helmets in time to avoid inhaling the harmful gas. In the poem, Wilfred notes a one soldier who failed dint do it in time, and gives the details of the grisly experience of the gas effects; “He plunges at me, guttering, chocking, drowning” (Wilfred, 2013, p.1). The experience was horrific that anyone who had a taste of it could not manage to wish for events like Horace that came up after the World War I.
“The Soldier” is another poem written by Rupert Brooke about the World War I which is contrasts Wilfred Owen’s poem discussed above. Brooke talks about the achievements of a soldier who had gone to war relative to his death. In the poem the soldier is displayed as a winner of the war he fought hence an act of patriotism to the motherland country, England. It reflects praise from his countrymen for the accomplishments during the war. The soldier tells his countrymen to only think of the achievements he made from war when he dies. The poem was perhaps to encourage the soldiers who went to war to remain loyal to their nation England as it was written at the beginning of the First World War.
“Dreamers” by Siegfried Sassoon is also poem written during the First World War to explain what the soldiers wished or dreamed of contrary to what the media reported. The media explained the very difficult war conditions that the soldiers put up with, “ruined trenches lashed with rain” (Sassoon, 2013, p.1). Sassoon in his poem said it in another way having gone through the war experience as a soldier. He explains that soldiers were not concerned about the war heroism. They were dreamed of the most important aspects of their lives, “fire lit-homes, clean beds, and wives” (Sassoon, 2013, p.1). The poem reflects the soldiers’ thoughts as dreams of what they wished for in life while people thought they valued the achievements of the war.
Literature helped people to face the realities of war and therefore the ability to deal with after war trauma. People were able to deal with their devastation as well as emotions that were expressed by poets in the literature work. Literature conveyed messages of the horrific scenes of war and the way people were hopeless with the war. With literature displaying the reality of war, people and nations were unwilling to engage in war again. For example Owen wrote that; the experience was horrific that anyone who had a taste of it could not manage to wish for events like Horace that came up after the World War I
References
Brooke, R. (2008, November 12). The Soldier. The Guardian [London], p. 20.
Owen, W. (2013). Dulce Et Decorum Est. Retrieved May 19, 2013, from http://english.emory.edu/LostPoets/Dulce.html
Sassoon, S. (2013). Dreamers by Siegfried Sassoon : The Poetry Foundation. Retrieved May 19, 2013, from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171922
