Choose 3 poems by Wilfred Owen that look at different aspects of war. Compare how Owen deals with each aspect and consider what his overall message might be.
Choose 3 poems by Wilfred Owen that look at different aspects of war. Compare how Owen deals with each aspect and consider what his overall message might be. Wilfred Owen was born the 18th of March 1893 in Oswestry. He was the eldest of four children and was brought up in the Anglican religion. He studied at the Birkenhead Institute, at Shrewsbury Technical School and at the University of London. He enlisted for war in 1915 and later that year was sent to France. In 1917 he was diagnosed as being shell-shocked after being wounded three times and was sent to the Craig Lockhart War Hospital in Edinburgh. Here he met with the war poet Siegfried Sassoon. This meeting seems to have been exceedingly valuable to Owens career as a poet. Sassoon's pacifism reaffirmed Owen's views about the war and influenced his poetic style, encouraging him to write in a more colloquial and ironic style much like that of Sassoon's. Later, Owen was sent to Scarborough and had more time to write and work on his writing technique. His style developed using both assonance and half-rhyme which was greatly admired by his peers. In late 1918 Owen was sent back out to his former battalion and a month later was awarded the Military Cross for bravery. The war ended on the 11th November 1918 at 11 O'clock, just a week after Owen had been killed in one of the last and most futile battles of the First World
"With Specific focus on Wilfred Owen poems Disabled, Mental cases, Dulce et Decorum est, the send off and Anthem For Doomed Youth evaluate the methods Owen uses to bring across his convictions, feelings and ideas to you, the reader" (i have referred also
"With Specific focus on Wilfred Owen poems Disabled, Mental cases, Dulce et Decorum est, the send off and Anthem For Doomed Youth evaluate the methods Owen uses to bring across his convictions, feelings and ideas to you, the reader" (i have referred also to other poems including ones by the poets other than Owen; I have referred to relevant social, historical and artistic contexts, notably the paintings by the WW1 artists you have seen, studies and appreciated... As World War took place between 1914-1918, Wilfred Owen began to write poems on his own personal experience of the war as a soldier and a leader as well towards the end. He was heavily influenced by Siegfried Sassoon whom he met in hospital, who was himself a poet. It soon proved that his meeting with Sassoon was to be worthwhile as it was him who made Wilfred Owen recognisable as the leading poet from World War one, as his poetry was to become more popular than his mentor. His poetry best describe the horrors of trench warfare, the terror and misery of war and the great effect it has upon the people. Dulce et Decorum Est and Anthem for Doomed Youth are probably his most famous poems, but poems such as Mental Cases and The Send -Off are just as influential on how the war is perceived today as they all form a great meaning and story behind it, he uses many poetic techniques to get these feelings and points across.
Explore the presentation of revenge in 'Hamlet'.
Jose Cree Explore the presentation of revenge in 'Hamlet' Revenge is a key theme in Hamlet. It is not only essential to understanding Hamlet's character, it forms the structure for the whole play, supporting and overlapping other important themes that arise. Though it is Hamlets revenge that forms the basis for the story, tied into this is the vengeance of Laertes and Fortinbras, whose situations in many ways mirror Hamlets' own. By juxtaposing these avengers, Shakespeare draws attention to their different approaches to the problem of revenge and how they resolve these. The idea of revenge is first introduced by the appearance of the ghost in act 1 Scene 5, and linked to this is the theme of hell and the afterlife. At the end of this scene, Hamlet is irreversibly bound to revenge for the duration of the play, 'speak, I am bound to hear' 'So art thou to revenge'. The ghost appears with the sole aim of using his son to obtain revenge on his brother, and so every word he speaks is designed to enrage Hamlet and stir in him a desire for vengeance. He uses very emotive language to exaggerate the enormity of the crime, and he concentrates Hamlet's attention on the treachery of Claudius. His description of the murder itself demonises Claudius and contains many references to original sin, 'the serpent that did sting thy fathers life now wears his crown.' Hamlet, who has been
Explore the presentation of Iago in Shakespeare's Othello.
Explore the presentation of Iago in Shakespeare's Othello. "O damned Iago! Oh inhuman dog!" Iago is one of the most central and many-layered of Shakespeare's villains, though he is also the subject of some controversy. Has Shakespeare created a "motiveless malignity," as Coleridge suggested (Shakespearean Criticism, 1960), or is Iago deeper and more destructively sharp and vindictive? Shakespeare presents a deep-rooted paradox within Iago - his single-minded conviction and confidence alongside an uncertainty of motive. Iago's importance and his role as Othello's 'poisoner' is perhaps the first thing to consider. Is he simply a catalyst, aiding the inevitable, or does he deliberately orchestrate Othello's end on his own? The duality of Iago is also a vital device used by Shakespeare to illustrate his character - Iago is such a gifted actor that no other character even has the opportunity to suspect that he is dishonest. The juxtapositioning of honesty and lies, good and evil, jealousy and trust, are also key techniques employed by Shakespeare to demonstrate Iago's power. The depth of both Shakespeare's and Iago's language and use of imagery and extended metaphor is also suggestive of how layered the character is. It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to fathom Shakespeare's original intentions for Iago. What must be noted is how different he is from the character in the tale
To what extent is language central to the understanding of Othello and Macbeth
A Critic has observed that, 'The nature and the extent of the tragic falls of Othello and Macbeth are reflected in the words they use and those which are used about them.' To what extent do you consider language to be central to the understanding of both plays? Throughout both plays we judge characters through the language they use and the language used to describe them. Both Othello and Macbeth are respected and valued at first and their language, particularly in the case of Othello, deteriorates as they begin to lose their nobility. The audience in Shakespeare's time would also have judged them on their birth and place in society. Othello is of 'royal siege' (I ii l.22) and Commander of the Venetian Army. His prominent place in society is typical of the definition of tragedy by Aristotle who believed tragic heroes should be of high status. Macbeth is also a member of the Scottish aristocracy, Thane of Glamis, before he becomes King. However, Othello's heritage and skin colour make him an unusual tragic hero and one would imagine that the audience in Shakespeare's time would have been shocked to have the hero as a black man, 'the Moor' (I i l.40). At the beginning of the play Othello is described as 'valiant' (II ii l.1) and 'noble' (I ii l.91). His language shows him to be eloquent and dignified though he claims to be 'rude' (I iii l.81). Macbeth at first is similarly
Explain how the poets of Happy is England Now in the anthology Up the Line to Death present World War I
Explain how the poets of Happy is England Now in the anthology Up the Line to Death present World War I The section Happy is England Now is situated at the start of the anthology, Up the Line to Death. In this section, the editor, Brian Gardner has arranged the six poems in such a way that it is clear these poems are largely pro-war. Therefore, most of the poems in the section uphold the stereotypical beliefs held by the public before and during the war. However, this is not always the case; with the inclusion of "Men Who March Away" ("Men...") by Thomas Hardy, Gardner adds a poem whose stance towards the war is at the very least ambiguous. As a result, Gardner can show that he is not forgetting the real horrors of the war, horrors which are hardly mentioned in this section. This fact is very important to Gardner; in the introduction to the anthology, he describes the war as a 'tragedy'. From this it can be seen clearly that Gardner wants to make sure the brutalities of the war are not forgotten and so with the inclusion of "Men..." he makes sure that everything is not as it seems. It is almost as if Gardner is trying to give a subtle hint to the reader as to what might follow in the rest of the anthology. This is juxtaposed with the poems "Happy is England Now" ("Happy...") and "England to Her Sons" ("England..."), which are very pro-war. The contextual nature of the poets
Henry V compared to the War Poets. Throughout 'Henry V' there are very strong references to God, sin and salvation. War is viewed as a moral and spiritual means of upholding the status quo.
There are many different attitudes to war: pacifists find it morally outrageous and unnecessary, others a necessity to protect and defend their own country and that of others. During the life of Shakespeare the security of the King on his throne was unstable. Defending the throne and social stability through war was imperative. This is reflected thematically in 'Henry V', with Shakespeare promoting the King as a divinely appointed ruler and encouraging acceptance of this. Throughout 'Henry V' there are very strong references to God, sin and salvation. War is viewed as a moral and spiritual means of upholding the status quo. With this in mind, 'Henry V' opens with the mature king, 'The mirror of all Christian kings', seeking justification for declaring war on France, with Henry asking the Archbishop if God is happy with his claim to the French throne. 'May I with right and conscience make this claim?' Henry, asking the Archbishop for support as King of England, demonstrates his desire to fight in the name of God, confirming that God's appointed monarch is bound by spiritual laws. Later on in the play we learn of Henry's other justification for war: honour. He says he is not interested in gold - he only wants honour and glory for his country. 'But if it be a sin to covet honour, then I am the most offending soul alive.' Henry will not proceed with war unless his decision to
Sequential and simultaneous bilingualism.
When the term bilingualism is looked up in a dictionary, (Collins English dictionary, 2000) the definition given is: "1, able to speak two languages, especially with fluency. 2, written or expressed in two languages. 3, a bilingual person". Nevertheless the reality seems far from being so simple. In fact, different features should be taken into consideration in order to give a more complete explanation of this subject. The purpose of this essay is to examine thoroughly these aspects, explain the controversy within the subject and focus on sequential and simultaneous bilingualism. To start with, although bilingulism is when an individual speaks two languages, there are disagreements on the level of fluency that is needed for the individual to be considered bilingual. Some researchers believe that if a person has any kind of knowledge in a second language apart from his native language, it does not matter if he/she is just able to understand, speak a little or just read, this person can be considered a bilingual. Macnamara (1967) agrees with this theory saying that considering one of the four skills (reading, listening, speaking, and writing), a bilingual person will have one of these skills even if it is in a minimal degree. On the other hand, Bloomfield and Thiery's (1978) theory defines a bilingual as the individual who possesses proficient fluency in two languages, being,
Polonius has sometimes been presented as an essentially comic character and sometimes as a more sinister figure. What critical and dramatic issues are raised by the character of Polonius?
Polonius has sometimes been presented as an essentially comic character and sometimes as a more sinister figure. What critical and dramatic issues are raised by the character of Polonius? There has been much debate amongst critics and directors alike on the depth of Polonius's character, and his purpose in the play. There are those, such as critic Myron Taylor, who view him as a more sinister persona, arguing 'his ineffectuality does not excuse his moral deviousness. Appearance has become his reality', thus implying he is used for menacing dramatic effect. However others take a more sympathetic view, for example Elkin Calhoun Wilson; 'that dotage repeatedly amuses us in his fondness for lecturing and giving advice, however sound, to his meandering young;', therefore interpreting him as a more bumbling and comical element to an otherwise serious play. Despite understanding both these views I still, like Hamlet, see Polonius as a 'rash, intruding fool' [Act.3Scene.4 line33]and believe anything done that may appear enigmatic or ominous can only have occurred unintentionally (in the script) or through exaggeration in directing. Similarly to Wilson, I can see how Polonius would add light-hearted, comic relief to the play, especially when paired with quick-witted Hamlet, highlighting the cracks in Polonius's delusional 'wise' role he has adopted. Polonius has traditionally been
Consider the role of the Fool in King Lear. How important is he to the play as a whole?
King Lear Essay Question Consider the role of the Fool in King Lear. How important is he to the play as a whole? How has the role been treated by different critics and in different performances? How might the role reflect the culture of Shakespeare's time? How would you prefer the role of the Fool to be performed? The Fool is considered an important character in the play even though he is not a major participant in events witnessed. His comments, full of ironic insight, provide wisdom and reasoning for Lear at times of need. He generally plays three major roles; Lear's inner - conscience, represents Lear's alter ego and plays a dramatic chorus. The way the character is portrayed also provides us with a social commentator and vehicle for pathos. Although the Fool may seem strange to us, an Elizabethan audience would have greeted the Fool with great familiarity. The position was a historic one in Shakespeare's time, with the monarch appointing an official court jester (Fool). In conventional drama of the day he was a hold over from morality plays, with his role-becoming classic. His role had established characteristics and responsibilities. Among them the Fool had license to roam the stage and interact with the audience often joking and talking directly to them. He had great popularity with the audience of the time, with his role a bridge between the action on stage and
