In the second stanza, Brooke clearly declares that, “All evil shed away”. This gives an impression to the audience that the persona is determined to fight back against evil in reference towards his enemies, “All evil” regardless of what others may think as well as people’s values or countries. Being part of the war and a soldier fighting his enemies made them a personal matter and goal to fight against however he can. Whether it means losing his life he will continue to fight.
Also in the second stanza, on the last line, “In hearts at peace, under English heavens” the persona may have intended to tell the audience that as long as he died under an English heaven, he will rest in peace. Once he is laid to rest in England, his troubles will be shed. He expresses his thankfulness towards England for what she has done for him. As this closes the poem and brings it to an end, those who read it may find this as a motivation and encouragement in perhaps a form of a rallying cry, for them to fight for their country with strong willpower, loyalty and gratitude. It may look as if, you are needed to fight for your country in order to show your appreciation.
Brooke’s poem was written to convey his thoughts on war and what the consequences of war would be. Though, Brooke points out death on a continuous basis, he has put it in such a way, that it is not associated with sadness or remorse. He has made it a point to stress the fact that he will always be happy to die for his country despite the consequences that could occur.
“Anthem For Doomed Youth” involves just as much emotion and feeling as in the previous poem, the Soldier. However, “Anthem For Doomed Youth” takes a much more negative outlook on war. In many ways this poem is a complete opposite to the Soldier. The poet shows a disillusioned and shocked attitude as this poem contains deep thoughts on the realities of war, death, reasoning behind the fighting, sadness and the uselessness of war.
Owen begins this poem with a question that focuses on the absence of marking a soldier’s death, “What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?” Owen’s reference to soldiers as cattle shows his comparison between humans and animals. As cattle are usually slaughtered, Owen makes the same comparison to soldiers dying out in battlefields. The poet involves the audience by asking them a question then answering it himself. Perhaps he is trying to make a certain point and to strike awareness in people’s minds. He makes it as gruesome and detailed as possible to make a bigger impact and clearer image for the audience to imagine the sight of this. In response to writing this quote, Brooke could have wanted to push the audience to ponder on the question and stir up emotions to ensure they understand the reason of the poem, to emphasize the effects of war. By doing so, Owen will pass on to the audience the feeling he has as well as the views he possesses.
He tends to illustrate the surroundings of a trench, the sounds, the fields and the soldiers who are fighting for their lives. Owen describes that the loud gunfire and shelling has blocked out everything else. As he writes, “Only the monstrous anger of the guns” and “Stuttering rifles rapid rattle” demonstrates the intensity of the guns and the explosion of shells. Owen uses the words, “monstrous” and “stuttering rifles” to allow us to imagine the scene at the battlefield. This makes it all unrealistic and hard to imagine, yet we are given a picture of what it was like. Alliteration on the second quote has made the picture clearer giving us a chance to depict what it was like during the war. Brooke has used alliteration to highlight the monstrous anger he has a soldier and writer. The technique catches the attention to allow audiences to see the feeling Owen has.
As Owen continues to answer his question, he points out that soldiers were not given funerals or a proper ceremony to mark their death. “No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells”, this shows that there was no proper funeral or protocol done to signify the death of a soldier and honour the bravery instead they were left out in the fields. Owen explains that there were no voices of the choir in its place the loud shelling explosions. The comparison to a “normal” choir or funeral gives the audience the chance to see the main difference between funerals at a “normal” time and at war.
The “Demented choirs of wailing shells” refers to the sounds being irrational, unnatural and inhumane word bearing in mind that shells were not demented, merely a personification of such. By doing so it will draw the audience to thinking of the horrible conditions at war. Meaning the lack of thought given to the dead who fought for their country.
This stanza does not dwell so much on the negative sides of death and war but on the death and the proper funeral of those who have passed on. He again asks a question,
“What candles may be held to speed them all?” During a traditional funeral, candles will be lit in a church to signify life after death and a help to light the swift path to heaven. This time is different as there will be no funeral. No choirboys to sing to the dying soldiers. Instead, there is a flicker in the soldier’s eyes of goodbye and recognition.
As the poem comes closer to the end, he touches on the line of long friends, relatives, girlfriends and others awaiting the arrival of their loved ones. They stand with flowers waiting nervously with “their flowers the tenderness of patient minds”. Flowers signify remembrance, a new beginning of life and regeneration. The phrase, “Patient minds”, refers to those who were still waiting for news about their loved ones. Yes, there were flowers for the soldiers but it was a matter of waiting for them to return. No establishment of death and those who have yet to return from “No Man’s Land” and the field of war. Here, Owen tries to show that identities of soldiers who were dead and those who were still alive were still unknown. Families could not confirm if their loved ones were still dead or alive. The last line, “And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds” could have meant various reasons. This could have been the shutting down of blinds of the houses of deceased, a traditional way to express sorrow. On the other hand it could signify the closing of the eyelids of the victims of war as they died out in the fields. Also, it could have meant, the end of another day of war and death and tomorrow may be the beginning of many deaths and great wars.
In both poems, the poets have created very vivid and real pictures of war and shown the audience and readers their point of view and how they saw it as. Both poems contain alternate rhyming couplets, which add to the rhythm of the poem giving it a smoother flow from one line to the next. Not only this, but rhyming couplets also connects two points together. It was a reality to them and a show for us. Negative and positive views were shown in similar ways that suited the subject, war. Both poems are sonnets containing 14 lines only. The first stanza explains the situation and the second develops on the situation as well as show the feelings of the persona. Poets have had their ways and techniques making the real reason behind each line and each stanza clear to the reader. Poets have used this technique in order to engage the readers’ attention. Poets have done this by using significant words and phrases that will do so. The poets have shown the audience their significance of each of their views telling us, no matter what we want or feel there will always be a consequence. In the first poem, Brooke wanted to emphasize the importance of remembering and honouring your home country and in the second Owen wanted to show the realities and horrors of war.
Equally both poems have created powerful messages and feelings regardless of whether it was for or against war. Both Owen and Brooke have passionately shown their feelings through words to create great pictures of their thoughts. However, in the same way, both poems are especially contrasting in views. For the obvious reasons, ‘The Soldier’ supports the idea of fighting for your own country and on the other hand, the ‘Anthem For Doomed Youth’ is very much against fighting. Brooke has shown the patriotism and passionate feelings for his country. He has shown his gratitude and love of what his country has moulded him into. Owen objects to the inhumane ways of war and the lack of self-respect and dignity. He was disillusioned and became a pacifist. His strong feelings against war proved that he thought there was no point for war. He witnessed the realities of a supposedly patriotic war and it left him scarred.
Both poets have written each poem carefully down to each sentence to convey their message that they wanted the world to know about their personal views. They have done this through explaining their feelings and what the situation will be like. For Brooke, war will always be about honour and fighting for the country despite what happens. However, for Owen, war is about horror, evil and death. Both messages are positive and negative and it has conveyed very strong and definite feelings about war.