How does Owen stress the true horror of the First World War, and how is his poetry influenced by the work of propaganda poets such as Harold Begbie and Jessie pope

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How does Owen stress the horrors of the First World War, and how is his poetry a reaction to the propagandist poets such as Begbie and Pope?

    When World War One broke out in 1914 Britain had only a small professional army. It

needed a large one very quickly. In order to solve this problem the government would introduce conscription in 1916. However, before the introduction of conscription the

government would put a tremendous amount of social pressure onto the young men of

Britain to volunteer to join the army. The government began a massive recruitment drive, with posters, leaflets, recruitment offices in every town and stirring speeches by government ministers. Not only this many newspapers would include poems written as a means of shaming men into joining the army. For example, the poem “Fall In” by Harold Begbie would make those who did not join the army feel ashamed. Also, the women would put further pressure on men to join the army. The idea that the women would want the men after they came back from war was common. During this time young the young men of Britain were put under a lot of pressure to join the army. The recruitment campaign was highly successful as by 1916 over 2 million had enlisted.

    At this time the people of Britain were ignorant and inexperienced about war. To most

the war seemed like an adventure or almost like a “game”. The use of propaganda only

served to increase this impression. Government produced propaganda would make people

dismiss reality and the truth, instead opting to believe what the government wanted them

to believe. Whilst in reality World War One was a highly dangerous and horrific

experience. As well as this many young men thought the war would be over by Christmas and that they would be seen as heroes when they defeated the enemy and came home. In hindsight we can see how delusional people were, manipulated into dismissing the truth.

    Wilfred Owen was one of the most recognised war poets during the war. Owen’s poems would illustrate the true dangers of war with the focus being on the young men who had been almost forced to join the army. Owen’s style of writing was in contrast with those of Harold Begbie and Jessie Pope. Begbie and Pope would write poems playing upon the concerns of young men and glorifying the war. It was partially Owen’s dislike for Pope and Begbie that drove his poems as well as his need to record his first-hand experiences.

    The poem “Fall In by Harold Begbie immediately tries to convince the reader to join

the army. The title “Fall In” seems threatening and acts as a command almost telling the

reader to join the army. Furthermore, the opening line of the poem immediately shows

the main topic that runs through the poem:

“What will you lack, sonny, what will you lack”

    Here we learn through the use of the word “sonny” that the implied reader is a young

man, most likely still unsure about signing up. Not only this the repetition of the word “sonny” throughout creates a sense of threatening insistency. As a rhetorical question the poetic voice manages to make the reader think whilst the repetition of “what will you lack” further emphasises the question. After the initial rhetorical question managing to grab the reader’s attention Begbie goes on to prey upon one of their immediate concerns:

When the girls line up the street,

Shouting their love to the lads come back”

    Here Begbie straight away focuses on one of the main concerns of the implied reader:

appearing unmanly in front of women. Begbie is suggesting that by joining the army the

implied reader would be instantly recognised as a hero. Not only this the girls would

show their love and appreciation for them, revelling in their glory. This image of girls

“shouting their love” would powerfully encourage the implied reader to consider going to

war. We can also see Begbie’s lack of knowledge and ignorance about the true horrors of

war as he seems to believe that it would be an advantageous opportunity for young men.

    Begbie later preys upon different concerns that the implied reader might have:

“And England’s call is God’s!”

    Here Begbie plays upon the idea of patriotism with his reference to “England”. With

many men joining their respective countries’ armies Begbie could be suggesting that it

would be your duty as a citizen of England to sign up. To further convince the implied

Join now!

reader Begbie mentions that “England’s call is God’s”. This would indicate that God is

with England and therefore by signing up you would be siding with God. Also, the

implied reader could interpret this as suggesting that God would be with them throughout

the war serving as a protector.

    Begbie later changes tactics as he tries to connect with the implied reader choosing to

use more colloquial language:

“The pub and the betting odds”

    With the implied reader being a young, inexperienced, somewhat immature young men

this use of ...

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