Different Attitudes to War in Post-1914 War Poetry

Different Attitudes to War in Post-1914 War Poetry

Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen are poets who fought for England in the

First World War. Both poets depict the same topic of war, but through

different views and opinions. Despite them pertaining to the similarly

themed subject, their language and tone invoke contrasting feelings in

readers and affects their impression of war in opposite ways. Examples

of these differences can be seen in the two poems by Rupert Brook 'The

Dead (iii) and 'The Soldier' and two by Wilfred Owen 'Anthem for

Doomed Youth' and 'Dulce etDecorum Est'.

Rupert Brooke writes 'The Dead (iii)' in an extremely relaxed and

romantic mood.Brooke had not experienced war, so with this in mind the

poem seems very clear and concise. Brooke aims to show us the glory

that is brought about by dying for your country. He thinks that war is

a simple and dignified cause. He aims to make us more patriotic and

convince us to die for our country in war.

The first line is very energetic and joyous for a horrendous subject

such as war. This may mean that Brooke tries to symbolise enthusiasm

and glory. Since bugles are used at a grand occasion, but also

militarily charges and retreats he may be trying to indicate that

dying for your country is a glorious way to end your life.

"Blow out, you bugles, over the rich Dead!"

As he says, it has made them 'rich'. This probably means that they are

wealthy with glory, praise and admiration. He makes no mention of the

pain and suffering in war. The third line explains that dying has

again made them important.

But, dying has made us rarer gifts than gold.

Gold is very rare, so...

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...e still fresh in his mind and the public's.

Owen, on the other hand, wrote his poem three years into the war and

in that time was able to see and accept the realities of war, so his

perception of war was changed to bitterness and this was reflected in

his many poems such as Anthem for Doomed Youth in which he reveals the

same feelings on war as he does in Dulce et Decorum Est. In one of his

previous poems, The Ballad of Peace and War, he himself had supported

the idea of,

'How sweet it is to live in peace with others, but sweeter still far

more meet to die in war with brothers. '

Therefore, it would be concluded that the only reason why the two

poets have conflicting ideologies of war, is time. If Brooke had

experienced more of the war he might have wrote later poems that

portrayed the same bitterness as Owens.