words associated with wars like chivalry , courage and gallantry do not describe wars, not really,
instead war is pain , sorrow and loss . He emphasizes on the destructiveness of wars to those involved .
He says " yet also there encumbered sleepers groaned " , so they are " encumbered " physically with
their uniforms and sacks and emotionally with too much sadness and sorrow brought to them by war .
Those sleepers are " too fast in thought or death " to be stirred . One of those sleepers " sprang up " from
death and smiles , although he smiles but still it is a smile of death . That man recognizes the speaker
for he, the speaker, is the one who killed him as we know later in the poem . The poet describes this
other man's face as " grained " with " a thousand pains ", pains from his previous life and past
experiences in battle . Now they are in Hell , a place of anguish and despair , a place where shouts of
pain and torment is expected , but oh no , not in this poem . Hell is a quit place where there is silence "
yet no blood reached there from the upper ground " " and no guns thumped , or down the flues made
moan " . So Own draws a picture of silence in Hell and contrasts this picture with battle where noise,
blood and moans are everywhere . The speaker says about Hell that " here is no cause to mourn " no
more grief or sadness . The stranger agrees with him " None " as if they are both relieved that it finally
Al Neghaimshi 2
ended , finally they will rest . " Save the undone years , the hopelessness " This is their only regret .
They shared so many in the past , the two of them , similar lives , experiences and similar horrors and
pains that they could be called "friends " in spite of the fact that they are actually strangers .
"Strange Friend " as paradoxical as it seems but still true , " Whatever hope is yours , was my life also " .
Owen argues that wars " trek" the nations from progress and he calls it " retreating world " . The
poet says " when much blood had clogged their chariot-wheels " he would go and " wash them " .
Owen takes into his hands as a poet " to warn " as he said himself once , " Even with truths that lies too
deep " . He says he will do it " not through wounds ; not on the cess of war " , so it is not through
innocent people , not through wars that destroys the lives of many . " Forehead of men have bled where
no wounds were " that’s a clear indication to the myth of Christ which says that before he was crucified
his body sweat blood , He was the one who paid for the sins of the humankind and so are those men
paying their lives in wars whom foreheads " bled where no wounds were " .
" I am the enemy you killed , my friend " a beautiful line towards the end of the poem . Although we
stand in life different and enemies , but we shared the same experience and will share the same destiny
. He closes the poem by saying " let us sleep now .." let us finally rest and forget the horrors and pains .
So ironic of Owen to let his protagonist finally rest in " Hell" . Aren't people who fight for their
countries are supposed to be martyrs and go to Heaven ? It is Owen's way of doubting the cause
which wars stand for , the cause after all is false . Owen by letting his two protagonist rest in Hell ,
he also conveys the message that Mankind must seek reconciliation , stop this bloodshed , they must
embrace pity and love for each other . Owen writes this beautiful elegy that talks about war and death ,
but what is most ironical is that he himself dies in war .