Siegfried Sassoon- ‘Dreamers’
‘The Poet as Hero’
‘The Kiss’
In these poems of Owen and Sassoon it is clearly seen that the titles of poems written by Owen are much simpler and convey a less deeper meaning than to the poems written by Sassoon. For example the title chosen by Sassoon for the poem ‘The Kiss’ refers to the stab by the bionet where as no where is a ‘Kiss’ related to a poem which is based on anti-war.If you see the title ‘Send Off’ of the poem by Owen it implies to the real “Send Off” done to the soldiers before the war and also tells that the poem is based on the Send Off. Thus the titles also reflect the state of mind of the two poets where Sassoon was bitter in his tone whereas owen was straightforward in putting forth his feelings.
Sassoon uses a much bitter tone and more of sarcasm as compared to Owen.
‘No doubt they’ll soon get well’
‘They’re ‘longing to go out again’
‘They’ll soon forget their haunted nights’
-Survivors (Sassoon)
Sassoon wrote many poems and letters which express his anti war thoughts due to which he was to get court-martialed and hence he had to go to Craig Lockhart hospital and prove that he was in a shell shocked condition. Thus, the anti-war feeling became more and therefore we see such sarcasm and bitterness in tone in his writings. On the other side Wilfred Owen expresses his anti-war feeling in a gloomy, quiet, and a resigned tone.
Owen focuses on the effect of war on a soldier, he gets into the physiological and subconscious effect of the war on the soldiers whereas Sassoon talks about actual soldiers lives- uses images of guns, bullets and instruments used in war.
‘In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.’
-Dulce Et Decorum Est (Owen)
Owen uses visual imager in his poems. "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks." This allows one to imagine a group of people hunched over, to malnourished and beaten to even stand up straight. Another example is "flound'ring like a man on fire or lime." The man described has been poisoned by gas, but he looks as though he is running around trying to put out a fire on himself. The simile illustrates the suffering of the man and his hopelessness. Owen also uses sarcasm, the title of his poem “Dulce Et Decorum Est” itself suggests the sarcasm in the poem. Owen also uses negative connotations which give the reader a feeling of unease and malady. For eg. "sludge," "fatigue," "guttering," "froth-corrupted," "vile," and "incurable” have negative connotations. Enjambment is also a key factor as it quickens the pace of the poem. “ On the other hand Sassoon uses intense sarcasm in order to portray his anti-war feeling. He uses symbolism and contrast in his poems. “Death’s gray land” where gray refers to land of the dead instead of a beautiful ‘dream’ (sarcasm). Sassoon also shows personification in his poems. “Brother Lead” and “Sister Steel” are personified and refer to bullets and bayonets.
