In reference to at least two of his poems, explain what makes Wilfred Owen such a great War poet.

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In reference to at least two of his poems, explain what makes Wilfred Owen such a great War poet.

During this essay, analysis and reports will be made on the various qualities that show the poet Wilfred Owen and his war time poetry as the greatest of all time. During this essay, the poems “Dulce et decorum est,” and “Exposure,” will be analysed, with references to “The Sentry.” Reports will be given as to why Wilfred Owen’s brilliant story telling abilities, his uniquely real and uncensored writing style, and his terrifying experiences with the war all tie together to make such a revolutionary and successful war poet. Now however, this essay will review his life before and during the war, and how this affects Owen’s writing style and the subjects of his poetry.

Born and raised with an originally wealthy upbringing in Shropshire, from a young age Wilfred had a passion and ambition to become a poet. Despite this large degree of interest however, Owen in his younger years wrote poems with little significance and success. This was mostly due to the too complex romantic language he used, and the writing of dull, commonly written about items. Matters worsened for him when his grandfather, whose house they were living in died, meaning that Wilfred and his family were forced to move out into a smaller house. In his young years, Wilfred Owen was known to be highly religious, and for some years worked as a vicar’s assistant. He then lost his religion while in France, which had a large impact on his poetry. From “Exposure” for instance is “for love of god seems dying.” This quote has two meanings, these being a patriotic reference, stating that he loves his country, yet because of the war his love is dying. Also, if the quote is taken literally, it states that his love of god is dying, meaning that his religion is diminishing with his belief of god. Throughout all three poems are quotations like this one. When Wilfred Owen first began writing war poetry, it contrasted almost ironically with his later works. When he actually went to war however, his opinion on war changed greatly, and almost overnight he was converted from a boy solder to a shocked and cheated fighter. After his first experiences in the war, which due to their massive psychological impact on him completely revolutionised his writing style, he was diagnosed with shell shock following being trapped in a shell crater. While he was recovering in the Craiglockhart hospital, which specialized in treating shell shock, he met his poetry idol, Siegfried Sassoon. Being encouraged by the doctors to write poetry, he and Sassoon became good friends, with Siegfried once again completely changing Wilfred Owen’s style, abandoning the romantic language and trading it for the aggressive and shocking language found in his more famous poems, such as “Dulce et Decorum est.” Fifteen of his greatest poems were written in the hospital, becoming great with the help Siegfried Sassoon.

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A large reason why the poems written by Wilfred Owen were so successful was the large amount of realism he used. In his poem “Dulce et Decorum est,” for instance, he writes “Gas! Gas! Quick boys! – an ecstasy of fumbling,” This is a good example of the intense realism he uses largely because of the sibilance he uses on “Gas!” This adds realism due to the “s” noise produced putting the reader into the action, through forcing them to hear the hissing sound the gas makes as it leaks from the canister. Also, the direct speech from the ...

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