She also uses emotive language which would help to persuade people to join because it effects them personally, ‘tour country is up to her neck in a fight’ the country is personified as a woman and makes the man feel as if they have to save the woman and be a hero.
Imperatives are also used these are commands and demands that can not be disobeyed, ‘go’ this is telling the men to go and they cannot disobey this.
She also uses metaphors; the one she emphasises the most is that war is a game ‘whose for the game, the biggest that is played’ this sustained metaphor works throughout the poem. She uses colloquial language ‘who knows it won’t be a picnic’ this is everyday language that gives a direct appeal o young, working class men.
Robert Brooke was the most famous poet of the first part of the war. His sonnets caused a sensation when they appeared just after his death on the war to Gallipoli in 1915. Brooke saw his generation as both lucky and unlucky. He saw the world as very neglected and run-down, although he saw the war as some type of crusade in comparison to these says, as he saw it as extremely healthy for the younger generation.
In 'Peace', Brooke uses various techniques to persuade young men to go and fight in the war. Amongst these techniques is Brooke's negative view of the world, which he sees as run-down. Using words like 'old' and 'weary' creates a vivid image of a world which has been heavily neglected and nearly torn apart. This implies that the world needs to be reinvigorated and the war is a perfect way of doing this. Brooke also reinforces this statement throughout much of the poem by implying that the war is a way to cure your suns and cleanse yourself of cowardice.
Throughout 'Peace' Brooke's use of contrasts effectively provides a summary of the ideas of 'Shame and Honour', with contrasts ranging from clean and dirty, alive and dead, awake and asleep and many more. It is clear to see that these contrasts will effectively hit home on the young men and perhaps give them a boost to go out fight, as they would not want to be seen as cowardly to their country.
Brooke's techniques to persuade young men to join often portray those who won't fight in a bad light. "Leave the sick hearts that honour could not move." This implies that the men who will not fight are dishonourable and disloyal to their country. This would encourage young men to go and fight in the war as they would not want to be portrayed as cowards and dishonourable men.
One of Brooke's most hard-hitting contrasts is between waking and sleeping, as he saw the war as a way of reinvigorating those who needed it. "And caught our youth, and wakened us from sleeping." This implies that before the war, the youth of Britain were in a dead sleep, away from the action and excitement. Brooke implies that they were almost throwing their life away, with only everyday emotion to go by, and no sense of any real emotion or love. Although, now the war is here, Brooke sees this as the youth's waking point, where they can regain their pride and honour and fight for their country.
Throughout this poem, Brooke refers to religion, persuading the youth that God is guiding them through their journey in war. "Now, God be thanked Who has matched us with His hour." This conveys an image of God guiding the soldiers to war, and it also implied that is God's hour of duty and that God is encouraging them to cleanse themselves of shame and fight for the honour of their country.
Overall, Robert Brooke uses many effective techniques in this poem which all try and persuade the young men of Britain to go out and fight for their country. Brooke uses many methods, although, his religious references would highly influence many of the young Christian men at this time, especially those who were middle-class or wealthy as this poem would relate to them much more.
The formal language in this poem is also an effect in itself. It uses its formal language to speak to the younger more educated generation, as its style is very formal and crafted. In all, this poem is extremely well though-out and its methods of persuasion directed towards a certain audience to try and get them to fight in the war.
Wilfred Owen was regarded as one of the most important poets of world war one. He was the son of a rail worker and was taught in schools in Shrewsbury and Liverpool. His mother encouraged him in his early interests of music and poetry. He went to France to teach because he could not afford university education. He was there when the war broke out. He was sent home with shellshock and began to write his poems while he was in hospital recovering and used Sassoon to teach himself. Sassoon was a poet who protested against the war.
One of Owens most well known poems was Dulce et Decorum est the purpose of this poem was to show people the reality of war and it was especially aimed at Jessie pope. The title of the poem means war ‘it is not sweet and fitting to die for your country’; this for a start gives you an idea to what the poem is about.
‘Drunk with fatigue’ this simile is saying that the men are drunk with tiredness and there movements uncontrollable just like when you are drunk. It implies that the men are marching without knowing what they are doing or were they are going.
Within the poem there are a lot of techniques that are used such as power of three. ‘Guttering, choking, drowning’ Also the power of three emphasises a point and makes it stand out more when it is being read.
The rhythm of this poem is very solemn which contrasts with Jessie Pope who is very upbeat and jaunty.
Within the poem there is some very strong imagery such as ‘his hanging face, like devils sick of sin’ this shows that the devil is sick of what it is most associated with and says that the face is the most horrible state it could be.
The last part of the poem is a shock to all and is aimed directly at Jessie pope or whoever is reading it and says ‘the old lie: dulcet et decorum est.’ this is saying that the title is a lie and is not true in the slightest.
Siegfried Sassoon came from a wealthy privileged background, he came from an upper-class family who could've instantly placed Siegfried into power.. Instead, Siegfried volunteered to become and officer, and during his time, he was heavily decorated. He even fought in the Battle Of Somme and won the military cross. After this, he then spent much time in hospital as he was injured and suffered from terrible nightmares. Siegfried Sassoon also strongly protested against war by writing both poems and letters which were heavily critical of the government. During his protest, Siegfried threw away his military cross, as he felt war was deliberately being prolonged and was extremely unjust.
In the poem 'Base Details', Sassoon ridicules the military and the people of authority. 'If I were fierce, and bald, and short of breath'. Here the majors are being portrayed as old, ugly fat men that send young men to war. 'I'd live with scarlet majors at the Base.' This also reinforces the images of the majors sending the young men to war and how the poet would supposedly like to be in their position, because it is far safer and more comfortable.
'Suicide in the Trenches' clearly ridicules the public who are back home, who didn't go and fight in the war. When the soldiers arrive home there are crowds of people cheering the soldiers, but the public didn't understand everything that they had gone through. 'You smug faced crowd with in kindling eye, who cheer when soldier lads march by.' This is saying that the public don't know the terrible pain the soldiers went through, and whilst the public cheer they fail to see that the soldiers are scarred with memories. Sassoon ridicules the crowds that are cheering them by saying that they couldn't go through with what they did. The irony which is used in 'Suicide in the Trenches’ is the irony which shows a contrast between two ways of dying. 'He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again.' This somewhat hidden use of ironic contrast shows the nonsense of the view that to take your own life is cowardly and selfish, where as dying at someone else’s hands isn't. 'Does It Matter?' is ridiculing the speaker of the poem who ask the questions 'Does It Matter?' when they don't even know the pain the soldiers are going through and the mental scars which will be left with them forever. Irony is also bought into play in 'Does It Matter?', such as when drink is suggested as a solution to shellshock and many other problems. 'You can drink and forget to be glad'.
This type of outrageous irony is used us see how stupid it is to recommend alcohol as a solution to a veterans problem.
At the beginning of the war the poems were very upbeat and jaunty to try to attract young me to join the war, such as Jessie Pope’s poems. As the horrors of the war came to light there were poems such as ‘does it matter’ which were less upbeat and were to show people what they were doing by sending people out to war.