Choose a selection of poems written during World War One - With close reference to the text show how each poet expresses his view of the war and how this, in turn, reflects the historical context of his writing.

A body of England’s, breathing English air,

Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.”

He writes about England playing the role of his mother – he feels incredible passion and bond towards his country. The concept could be hard to understand in the very typical present day, but in history before the war and during the war it was natural for the public to feel so passionately about their country; the majority of England’s population were extremely patriotic.

The Soldier gave enormous comfort to people who had lost relatives due to the war. The poem gives a sense of peace in the soldier’s mind this is completely contrary to many other cynical views that other poems may have suggested. Death, fear and horror were frequently occurring in many poems, this is why Brooke’s poem is very individual and comforting. However, Brooke’s poetry was often criticised for painting a romantic picture of the war,

“ Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,”

Brooke, through this quote establishes an idyllic pastoral scene – romantic way of viewing things. The criticism Brooke encountered could however have been unfair; if Brook had survived the war, his opinion may have changed as the war progressed

Overall, from ‘The Soldier’ I think the poem expresses Brooke’s views of war very clearly. In my opinion I believe Brooke is optimistic about the war to show his dedication for his country and to give back something to England in return for England making him who he is.

Suicide in the Trenches has a very bouncy and upbeat rhythm to it. Siegfried Sassoon has achieved this by writing in rhyming couplets with a very tight rhythm. Through the aide of the poem Sassoon is very negative about the war and he expresses his view of the war using simple words but with strong meanings.

The poem begins with very simple narrative words

“I knew a simple soldier boy”

This mood changes dramatically at the end to leave the reader stunned and in deep thought about the conflict of the war.

“The hell where youth and laughter go.”

This is a tragic and terrible ending to which Sassoon uses powerful vocabulary to highlight his main point that the war was a terrible reality.

I think ‘Suicide in the Trenches’ demonstrates Sassoon’s personal traumas and experiences during the war. I make this judgement on the historical knowledge that Sassoon’s war service was a mixture of brave (almost suicidal) deeds and a growing sense of disillusionment with the conflict.

Sassoon presents a bitter attack on the nature of the War; this is completely on the contrary to ‘The Soldier’ by Rupert Brooke.

Sassoon treated the war issue with meaningful negativity. He uses shocking phrases to stun the reader,

“He put a bullet through his brain.”

This quote is part of the second stanza of the poem. The line ends with a full stop; this makes the reader pause and think about the situation. The soldier who was very positive and optimistic in the first stanza;

“And whistled early with the lark.”

Had just killed himself due to the pressure and deathly frightening situation of the war.

Sassoon experienced a sense of total disgust with the conflict during the war. This distain would work its way into his poetry and we can see the result of his experiences through the poem.

Suicide in the Trenches is completely on the contrary to Rupert Brooke’s The Soldier. Sassoon has written the poem to set out the message that war is full or horror, terror and death. Sassoon notifies the reader of the terrifying realities that occurred during the war, this disturbing, horrifically truthful type of poetry shows no sympathy for the relatives of the soldiers. Brooke’s poem distorts the realities to set a patriotic, romantic picture for the loving relatives of lost soldiers.

Does It Matter is another of Sassoon’s famous poems. In this poem rhetorical questions are used as a literary device,

“Does it matter? – Losing your legs…”

This gets the reader thinking at the beginning of the poem and at the beginning of every stanza. Each stanza leads on to show a different type of illness war has caused. Sassoon also uses sarcasm as a powerful literary device,

“There’s such splendid work for the blind;”

This to me suggests that Sassoon looks upon the war in a cynical view as he does in ‘Suicide in the Trenches’. ‘Does It Matter’ also carries an upbeat rhythm to it making the reader think all the time with his use of sarcasm.  When reading the poem Sassoon attacks the question – are the survivors the lucky ones? The poem suggests the survivors are the lucky ones – at least they survived. Yet, it also has a contrary aspect to it as the survivors get tormented and patronising sympathy. Sassoon shows this at the end of each paragraph.

“As you sit on the terrace remembering

And turning your face to the light.”

This is about a blind soldier; he has little to remember but the conflict and terror of the war.

In some places of the poem I think Sassoon is talking on a personal level as he survived the war and was eventually treated for shell shock. The last paragraph is about a shell-shocked person, which indicates to me that Sassoon is talking from experience.

The poem, although carrying the bouncy rhythm, is an angry, challenging and bitter poem, which questions the rest of the world on their attitude towards the soldiers.

“When the others come in after Hunting,

To gobble their muffins and eggs.”

This is at the beginning of the poem, about a person with no legs. I think Sassoon is trying to show that the ordinary public are living their life to the maximum and the reader can only watch.

I think Sassoon has directed this poem at the general public who did not go to war. I feel he believes the public has no concept of the soldier’s pain and he has written this poem to try and get across the post war traumas, mentally and physically, that the injured soldiers go though.

From looking at my reviews of Sassoon’s poetry during the war - Suicide in the Trenches, and after the war - Does It Matter? These poems allow me to suggest Sassoon's early, or middle of the war poetry gives the reader a sense of war as a noble enterprise; his later war poetry attacks the entire nature of war and those who profit by it.

Sassoon’s poetry is written with very similar formation and style, both poems are written with a bouncy, upbeat rhythm. Brooke’s poetry is very different to Sassoon’s. Brooke writes patriotically, trying to reassure the families of dead soldiers that the soldiers died how they wanted to looked upon war as an opportunity; fighting for their country. Sassoon sends out the message that war is full of fear, he has no consideration towards the mourning families.

In conclusion to my essay Brooke’s poetry demonstrates with a high degree of emotion, Brooke’s patriotic view of the war and this could enable the reader to predict his chosen death - protecting, fighting for his country. Brooke wrote The Soldier in anticipation of how he pictured the war. Brooke had very moral, loyal principals dedicated to his country portrayed through the poem. In my opinion Sassoon would have classed Brooke as ignorant as Sassoon has the experience of the war which influences him to adopt a completely different attitude. Sassoon’s poetry allows the reader to gain knowledge on his view of the war and the historical context of his poetry. Sassoon demonstrates the harsh realities of war; Brooke would find these concepts hard to conceive, as he has not encountered the situation.