Likewise both poems are narrative and use rhyming patterns in their poems. Sassoon uses the simple rhyming couplet rhythms of AABB whereas Owen uses the alternating rhymes of ABAB CDCD EFEF. They are both ironic compared to the chaos and despair of both poems.
Both poets begin their first stanza with imagery quite differently, Sassoon uses alliteration beginning with “I knew a simple soldier boy” in “Suicide in the Trenches” creating a strong bright rhythm to make it sound almost like a nursery rhyme leading the reader into a false sense of security, Sassoon paints a picture of a young boy enjoying his relatively carefree life this is portrayed in the lines– who “slept soundly” even though he was on his own in the dark and the onomatopoeia in the line “whistled early with the lark”. The boy looks forward to his day even though he slept through the “lonesome dark”. It is not until the second stanza, however that this illusion is crushed when Sassoon takes us to the harsh reality of the trenches.
In contrast Owen begins Dulce et Decorum immediately with the imagery of war to shock his readers by using the hard hitting simile and hyperbole of 'Bent double'. , 'Knock-kneed, coughing like hags’ straight away the reader is created with the image horribly twisted and deformed the bodies of the soldiers have become. Owen describes the men looking as if they were witches, with chronic phlegm coughs this is in contrast with the pictures of handsome upright soldiers as the propaganda posters portrayed. Straightaway the reader is there at the devastating scene through the use of language.
Owen also uses language to describe fatigue that the soldiers had as they “trudge”. Similarly to Sassoon, Owen uses alliteration to show the reader to emphasis the soldiers health and wellbeing, “men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots”. However they “limped on”, but were “deaf”, “lame” and “blind” and even “drunk” not from alcohol but from the fighting which is pitiful language that is intended to reveal the reality of war. The pace of the poem is slow, as we can imagine these exhausted men lumbering through the mud.
Owen then uses to capital letters and exclamation marks to great effect to give the reader the impression of urgency and panic “GAS, gas, Quick, boys!” the poem then picks up its pace as the gas attack strikes. As with “Suicide in the Trenches” Owen uses onomatopoeia to describe the sounds - "guttering", "choking", and "drowning" not only describe how the soldier is suffering when dying, but also that he is in terrible pain that no human being should endure. Similes are used for effect – “like a man in fire or lime” to express the burning and blistering effect and pain caused by mustard gas, as well as alliteration “watch the white eyes in his writhing in his face / His hanging face’ the ‘w’ sound reflecting the agonised twisting of the gas victim. This language is much more effective than “Suicide in the Trenches” for painting its imagery.
Likewise Sassoon uses descriptive language of to describe the hell, miserable life in the trenches “In winter trenches, cowed and glum.” Again alliteration is used “With crumps and lice and lack of rum”, the “l” sound highlighting the disease and lack of alcohol. ‘Crumps’ is used to describe the relentless shell fire endured. Sassoon’s use of language is far more direct and hard-hitting than that of Owen the hard reality is that this young soldier “he put a bullet through his brain”. It immediately makes the reader come to a halt followed by the line “no one spoke of him again” adds to the impact of the waste of one so ‘carefree’.
Similarly both poets end with closing stanza with a strong heart provoking message for their reader. Dulce et Decorum est by Owen ends “My friend, you would not tell with such high zest ...... Dulce is decorum est/ Pro patria mori”'. He is rejecting the accepted attitude back at home that serving your country in war is glorious. Thus his title is ironic. He is critical of the “high zest”, or great enthusiasm, used to convince men to go to war. He sees war as brutal and wasteful of young lives. His choice of the word “children” is also significant; impressionable young men are almost lured to war by the promise of “desperate glory”. “Suicide in the Trenches” by Sassoon really drives it home his opinion of people at home, he berates the crowds, who watch proudly as young soldiers pass. He suggests that they should thank God that they’ve escaped the fate of this young soldier and many others like him. He is ironically calling them cowards and dishonest which is contrasting with their jubilation. “You smug-faced cowards with kindling eye.....The hell where youth and laughter go”. Both are dismissing the patriotism of war and similarly in both poems they both imply by the words “children” and “youth” how young these men are.
The second poem by Wilfred Owen “Anthem for Doomed Youth,” is contradictory and ironic. It has similar themes to “Dulce et Decorum est” and “Suicide in the Trenches”, that of grief/mourning and slaughter. In this poem, Owen writes about the inhumanity of battle and the butchering of young lives. The reader is made to feel the grief of this poem together with the dead soldiers mourning families.
When we think of the word anthem we think of the national anthem honouring queen and country, a song of pride. However, this is not the case. Instead the title “Anthem for the Doomed Youth” suggests that the ‘doomed youth’ are the young soldiers that will die and the poem is an ‘anthem’ for them that they will never hear, thus making the title more ironic.
Unlike “Dulce et Decorum est” and “Suicide in the Trenches”, this poem is a sonnet which is adds to its irony as a sonnet is a love poem however we when we read this poem there was no love on the battlefield for the soldiers. Similarly to the previous poems it does use a rhyming scheme and is written much the same as Owen’s previous poem of ABAB CDCD etc.
In contrast to “Dulce et Decorum” and “Suicide in the Trenches” each stanza begins with a rhetorical question such as “What passing bells for these who die as cattle?” and “What candles may be held to speed them all?” which he then goes onto answer with negativity and sorrow.
Once again Owen uses his customary skill of figurative language, his technique of onomatopoeia, and imagery to play on the conscience of the reader and bring to life the horrors of war. From the outset of the first line of the first stanza, we are able to feel that the tone is bitter and of hopelessness with the opening simile line “What passing bells for these who die as cattle?” Owen is bitter with the authorities that the young soldiers deaths are impersonal and they have been shown no more respect than a mass slaughter of cattle all lining up to go to the slaughterhouse.
Owen uses different, yet equally good techniques to that of Sassoon personification and imagery are used to great effect such as “Only the monstrous anger of the guns,” because we can imagine the enemy’s immense hatred, the strength of their weapons and suggesting that the sound is loud and “the shrill, demented choir of wailing shells”, the wailing of the shells is personification of the singing choir, even if they live and leave the battlefield, in their minds they will always be able to remember the shells of war. Throughout Owen compares peacetime funerals to that of equivalents in the trenches. There is bitter irony in these comparisons.
Similarly as with “Dulce et Decorum est”, “Anthem for Doomed Youth” excels with Owen’s masterful onomatopoeia and alliteration techniques, such as “stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle”, the reader can visualise the continuous sound of the rifles, which is the only sound to be heard at the young soldiers funerals.
Likewise with “Suicide in the Trenches” by Sassoon, the poem changes scene. It focuses about the other side of war the homes and families of the deceased young men. It is of a slower pace and is more sombre. “Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds” metaphor is used to describe that instead of the flowers they would have at a normal funeral, they would have positive and respectful people’s thoughts. Another example of alliteration is the last line “And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds”. This is also again use of imagery. Traditionally when someone dies the blinds in the house would be drawn around them as a sign of respect however, on the battlefield the dying soldiers would only have the day drawing to a close (dusk) darkening the place when they lay.
Our last poem “Does It Matter?” by Siegfried Sassoon is the most satirical. It is full of cynicism, irony and is the most bitter. Unlike “Dulce et Decorum est”, “Suicide in the Trenches” and “Anthem for the Doomed, the poem’s theme is reflecting on the terrible effects of injuries sustained during the war and the complacency of civilians.
Just as Sassoon’s previous poem it has three stanzas but has a dissimilar rhyming scheme of ABBCA, ABBCA, ABBCA. This time it does not have any pauses. Again his style is rather nursery like and but the pace is bright, with words such as ‘bright’ and ‘light’. His words are clear and simple.
Similarly as with “Anthem for the Doomed” by Owen, Sassoon uses rhetorical questions for each stanza. However, the first three words of the question are repeated for each stanza “Does it matter – losing your legs?” “Does it matter – losing your sight?” and “Does it matter? – those dream from the pit?” From this repetition you can sense Sassoon’s almost comical anger.
With each question, Sassoon uses a patronising tone to answer “For people will always be kind”, “You can drink and forget and be glad” pointing out the ridiculous ideas at the time. In stanza two he uses the hyperbole of “splendid work” to emphasise irony. Knowing that once a soldier has lost his sight the choices of work will be limited. As with “Suicide in the Trenches”, Sassoon personally involves the reader by directly saying using word ‘you’ and making the reader think.
Overall, the differences between poems by Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon are the styles because the aim of both poets is the same. Sassoon uses clear, everyday language whereas Owen tends to be more elaborate. Owen uses many more literary techniques than Sassoon including alliteration, metaphors and similes, the titles of both of his poems are ironic to what the poem is about. Sassoon uses simpler rhyme schemes of rhyming couplets and Owen does not. My own personal opinion is that Sassoon his use of imagery is more effective in making the reader feels that they are actually at the scene of the battlefield, all of your senses are heightened by the sound and sights. Owen I feel is equally good with his direct approach of language; his poems do make the reader contemplate directly with their conscience. Nonetheless both poets are successful in conveying the message of the harsh realities of war to those who watch from the sidelines.