Analyse war poets and their poetry. Wilfred Owen, Bob Dylan and Jon Shumann.

by maxwilliams (student)

War and protest Poetry

To what extent are the poets studied critical about war?

The protest of war has been recorded in different written forms such as in poetry and song lyrics. The effects of the many wars for example, WWI, WWII, Korean War, and the Vietnam War, have been written about to encourage anti-war opinions amongst the people. Three such poets include Wilfred Owen a famous WWI anti-war poet, Bob Dylan a famous songwriter, performer and policatl activtist and more modern day war [protest poetry songwriter and also policiatl eactivist Jon Shumann.

War is a time of suffering and controversy

World War One poet, Wilfred Owen tells of a personal struggle with war and its horror and questions how a country can support this. In the poem Dulce et ecorum Est. Wilfred portrays the war in horrible imagery and his disapproval and therefore criticism of war is shown through the the horrific imagery of what it is really like to be fighting overseas. In describing the conditions in where the soldiers struggled “gutterin g……”Wilfred critics war through the irony of the poem showing that it is not honourable to die for ones country. The image of war gets into Owen’s thoughts ands dreams forcing him to remember the horror. The poem is written to shock people to change their minds about war and to not think about war as being good or glorious. “Sweet and honourable it is, to die for the fatherland.” Uses words like ‘’’’’’’’ to encourage a feeling of the reader to agree and support anti-war sentiments. Reflects the cruel reality – death and suffering

If someone could see what he has seen, would realise that it is not good to die for your country and wouldn’t say it is wonderful to die for your country.

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If someone could see what he has seen, would realise that it is not good to die for your country and wouldn’t say it is wonderful to die for your country.

Another well known anti-war activist is Bob Dylan, who focused more on the Cold War. One of Bob Dylan’s songs Masters of War uses ctiricism through lyrics to deal with the injustice in the politics and even in society in the 1960’s. The politics of war influenced Bob Dylan and the music he wrote “politics…….” Wars created by the government and political figures, crtisising their choices. Believe that the govn creates war that the younger generation have to fight. Expresses that it is wrong to create and build wars that threatens peoples lives. Questions government policy, promtes peace, describes both physical and psychological damage of civilians . Describes violence and destruction, satirizes war. Using all these things to crtiise the war making the protest very powerful and lasting. Suggests that the motive of govn policy makers and are removed from yhe cobflkict and use civilians as tools to achieve their ends. Suggesting that they place economic gain over the welfare of their men and women.

Modern poetry can be seen in song lyrics about war, politics and changes in society. The song Only 19 written by John Shumann The anti-war messages portrayed in this song is made through exploring the effects of ther war.As explored in masetrs of war above, the effects of was both the physical and psychological on innocent civilians and soldiers. is in the lyrics of an Shumann ciritises war by portraying the effects of it but more cirtises the way veterans of the Vietnam war were treated. Lyrics high;ight the emotional and psychological disorders many Vietnam veterans had to live with, The criticism of the Vietnam war is shown through exploring the feelings of a vietnma veteran. As people were becoming more anti war their sentiments meant that they did not offer retruned soldiers respect and understanding afforded to soldiers of an earlier era. Only 19 helps people understand what civilians and soldiers went through and to relaise that war is bad but respect still should be afforded to those that fought the war. Criticism of war spoken through a man who is struggling iweth the after effects of war.

The three poets / songwriters mentioned above, Wilfred Owen, Bob Dylan and John Schumann have all reflected in their works the cruel realities of war, both psychologically and physically. Owen’s and Dylans poetry is extremely critical of the war of the decisions made by the government, on the suffering and Schumanns criticism is about the war and the fall out of war – societies response. The poems

Bibliography

Dest Decorum – Wilfred Owen

Only 19 – John Shumann

Masters of War – Bob Dylan

Websites

Youthvoices.net/discussion/masters-war-analysis

Warpoetry.co.uk