This blog is written in response to Prakruti Ma'am. It was assigned by her, and is about war poetry.
A Comparative Analysis of Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen and The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson :
War has always been a recurring theme in literature, offering poets the opportunity to reflect on its complexities, horrors, and heroics. Alfred Lord Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade and Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est are two iconic war poems that depict the experiences of soldiers, but they differ significantly in their tone, perspective, and message. Tennyson glorifies the bravery and sacrifice of soldiers, presenting war as a noble pursuit, whereas Owen critiques the romanticized notions of war, highlighting its brutal and dehumanizing realities. This comparative analysis explores the style, language, and treatment of the theme of war in these poems, showing how they differ yet remain united in their focus on the plight of soldier.
Style of the Poems :
Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade is a narrative poem that recounts the historical charge of British cavalry during the Crimean War in 1854. The poem has a rhythmic, galloping meter that reflects the motion of the horses as they ride into battle. For instance, the opening line, “Half a league, half a league, half a league onward,” establishes a sense of urgency and momentum. Tennyson uses a structured six-stanza format to emphasize the order and discipline of the soldiers, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
On the other hand, Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est employs a fragmented and irregular style that mirrors the chaos and suffering of soldiers in World War I. The poem opens with slow, laborious lines like “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,” evoking the exhaustion of men returning from the frontlines. As the narrative shifts to describe a gas attack, the rhythm becomes more chaotic, mirroring the panic and disarray of the scene. Owen’s use of enjambment and uneven meter creates a disjointed effect, reflecting the fragmented reality of war.
Language and Imagery :
Tennyson’s language is heroic and celebratory, using elevated diction to honor the courage of the Light Brigade. Phrases like “Noble six hundred” and “Into the valley of Death” frame the soldiers as martyrs, willingly sacrificing themselves for a greater cause. The repeated imagery of cannons—
'Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them'
emphasizes the danger they faced, while the refrain,
'Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die'
glorifies their obedience and selflessness.
In contrast, Owen’s language is stark, visceral, and deliberately unromantic. He uses graphic imagery to depict the suffering of soldiers, as in 'blood-shod' and 'guttering, choking, drowning.' The description of a soldier dying in a gas attack
'white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin'
is haunting and grotesque, forcing readers to confront the physical horrors of war. Owen’s use of the Latin phrase “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” is deeply ironic, as he calls it “The old Lie” that perpetuates the glorification of war.
Treatment of the Theme of War:
Tennyson’s treatment of war focuses on the valor and heroism of soldiers. Despite the Light Brigade’s doomed mission, the poem emphasizes their courage and dedication. Tennyson does not dwell on the blunder that led to their deaths; instead, he immortalizes their sacrifice as an act of bravery. The tone is reverent and patriotic, aiming to inspire admiration and pride in the soldiers’ actions.
Owen’s treatment of war is entirely different, presenting it as a senseless and dehumanizing experience. His poem critiques the glorified image of war promoted by earlier poets and propagandists. By focusing on the individual suffering of soldiers, Owen humanizes the horrors of war, making it personal and relatable. His tone is bitter and accusatory, particularly in the final stanza, where he condemns those who perpetuate the myth of war as a noble endeavor.
Similarities Between the Poems:
Despite their differences, both poems highlight the plight of soldiers and the intensity of war. In Tennyson’s poem, the soldiers’ courage and unity are emphasized, while in Owen’s poem, the physical and emotional toll of war is brought to the forefront. Both poets use vivid imagery and rhythmic techniques to immerse the reader in the soldiers’ experiences, though their purposes and perspectives diverge significantly.
Differences in Tone and Purpose:
The most striking difference lies in the tone and purpose of the poems. Tennyson’s tone is uplifting and celebratory, seeking to honor the sacrifices of the Light Brigade. His poem aligns with the Victorian ideals of duty and patriotism, presenting war as a noble endeavor.
Owen’s tone, however, is somber and critical. He seeks to expose the grim realities of war and challenge the romanticized narratives that lead young men to enlist. His purpose is to provoke thought and evoke empathy, forcing readers to confront the true cost of war.
War Poetry: Confronting Identity, Guilt, Courage, and Death in 'The Hero' and 'The Fear'
War poetry offers a raw and honest glimpse into the human experience, especially the internal battles soldiers face in the trenches. The poems of Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen stand out for their deep exploration of the emotional and psychological effects of war. In The Hero by Sassoon and The Fear by Owen, we see soldiers grappling with life’s big questions about identity, guilt, courage, and death. These poems are not just about the physical horrors of war but the emotional turmoil that soldiers carry with them long after the battle is over.
'The Hero': Challenging Heroism and Identity :-
Siegfried Sassoon’s The Hero opens with a soldier’s death, which the public quickly elevates to heroic status. The soldier is hailed as a hero, and his death is praised as a sacrifice for the greater good. However, as the poem progresses, Sassoon complicates this idea of heroism. He shows us the truth behind the hero’s death: a young man who, like most soldiers, was simply terrified of what was to come. His bravery, the poem suggests, is more a construct of the public than a reflection of the soldier’s true self.
Through this, Sassoon forces us to question identity. The soldier, now dead, is celebrated as a hero, but who was he really? Was he truly brave, or was he simply someone who was afraid, just like anyone else? By contrasting the soldier’s real, fearful experience with the glorified image others have of him, Sassoon shows us how war twists our perceptions of identity. The soldier, in death, is reduced to a symbol his real, complex self hidden behind the public’s need to create a narrative of heroism.
The poem also asks us to reconsider courage. Is courage simply about charging into battle without fear, or is it something more complicated? Sassoon seems to suggest that courage is not about the grand gestures or the noble death it’s about surviving the emotional and mental anguish of war. True courage may lie in simply facing the chaos of war every day, with all its fear and uncertainty, and continuing to fight despite it.
'The Fear': Living with Guilt and the Shadow of Death :-
In The Fear, Wilfred Owen takes us inside the mind of a soldier overwhelmed by fear. The soldier is terrified not just of dying but of the constant threat that death is always just around the corner. Owen’s portrayal of fear in this poem isn’t just about the physical danger of war it’s about the psychological toll it takes on the soldier. This fear becomes so all-consuming that it begins to define his entire experience of war.
Owen explores the guilt that comes with fear. The soldier feels ashamed of his fear, as though it makes him less of a man, less of a soldier. There’s a deep internal conflict he knows that he should be brave, that he should stand strong for his comrades and for his country, but his fear of death makes him question everything. The poem shows us that fear isn’t just a survival instinct it’s also a source of deep shame. The soldier’s guilt stems from the fact that he is unable to overcome his fear, and that in itself becomes a burden.
Owen’s poem also confronts the ever-present specter of death. Unlike the heroic, noble death glorified in some wartime narratives, death in The Fear is a constant, looming presence. It’s not something that happens once and is mourned it’s something that is always just there, in the background of every soldier’s mind. This constant awareness of death strips away the illusions of glory and sacrifice that often surround war. For the soldier in Owen’s poem, death is not a noble cause; it’s simply the end that waits at the end of every moment.
The Weight of War: A Struggle with Humanity :-
Both Sassoon and Owen, through The Hero and The Fear, reveal how war forces soldiers to confront some of life’s most fundamental questions. These poems challenge our traditional ideas of heroism and courage, showing us that these concepts are often much more complicated than we are led to believe. In The Hero, Sassoon deconstructs the myth of the war hero, showing that the reality of war is much darker and more complex. The soldier’s identity is erased in favor of a public narrative that fits neatly into the idea of sacrifice and valor, but Sassoon forces us to ask: who was this soldier, really?
In The Fear, Owen explores the psychological toll of war in a way that’s both heartbreaking and illuminating. The soldier’s fear of death is not just an external threat it becomes an internal prison that shapes everything he does. The guilt he feels for wanting to survive, for not being able to shake his fear, only deepens his internal struggle. For Owen, fear and death are not abstract concepts they are the everyday realities of war, impossible to escape and impossible to ignore.
Both poems show us that the real horrors of war are not just physical. The emotional and psychological toll that soldiers bear often outlasts the war itself. Identity, courage, guilt, and death are tangled together in a way that’s messy, complicated, and often painful to confront. These soldiers are not just fighting for survival they are fighting to maintain their sense of self in a world where everything they once knew is turned upside down.
Comparing Ivor Gurney’s The Target and Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est :-
War poetry is a mirror reflecting the true face of battle raw, unvarnished, and haunting. Two such poetic reflections are Ivor Gurney’s The Target and Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est. Both poems emerge from the firsthand experiences of their authors, men who lived through the horrors of World War I. Yet, their approaches to themes like guilt, suffering, courage, and the dehumanization of soldiers reveal both shared perspectives and striking contrasts.
This comparison explores how Gurney and Owen, each in their unique style, expose the human cost of war while shattering any romantic notions of its glory.
Personal Pain vs. Collective Condemnation
Ivor Gurney’s The Target and Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est address the horrors of war, but their focus differs. Gurney’s poem is intensely personal, an emotional monologue in which the speaker grapples with guilt over taking another man’s life. The line “I shot him, and it had to be” captures the tragic necessity of killing in war, yet it also reveals the heavy weight of moral conflict. For Gurney, war’s cost is borne by the individual, not just in the physical toll but in the emotional scars that remain long after the battlefield is silent.
Owen’s poem, by contrast, is a direct attack on the societal and political forces that glorify war. Dulce et Decorum Est vividly describes a gas attack and the agonizing death of a soldier: “He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.” This visceral imagery pulls no punches, confronting readers with the gruesome reality of war. Owen’s anger is not directed at the soldiers but at the propagandists who perpetuate
'The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori'
the belief that it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.
Guilt and Responsibility :-
In The Target, Gurney gives voice to the torment of a soldier who has killed to survive. The speaker’s guilt is deeply personal, tied to his awareness of the victim’s humanity:
'You’d have laughed and cheered to see
Him swing his head and smile at me.'
This recognition of shared humanity between enemies makes the act of killing unbearable, even when it is framed as a necessity of war. The poem’s quiet anguish is amplified by the speaker’s longing for his mother’s forgiveness, a poignant reminder of the familial bonds that persist amid the chaos of war.
Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est shifts the focus from individual guilt to collective suffering. His vivid depiction of a gas attack the 'froth-corrupted lungs' and 'white eyes writhing in his face' highlights the physical horror of war, but it also underscores the moral culpability of those who send young men to fight. Unlike Gurney, Owen does not dwell on the personal remorse of the soldiers; instead, he channels his outrage toward those who glorify war without understanding its true cost.
Suffering and Dehumanization:-
Both poets emphasize the dehumanizing effects of war, though they approach this theme differently. In The Target, Gurney contrasts the speaker’s current isolation with the comfort of home:
'The deep heart of the West, the land
Of my delight, the dust is there.'
This contrast between the beauty of home and the desolation of the battlefield highlights the psychological toll of war, as soldiers are torn from everything that gives life meaning.
Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est uses stark, grotesque imagery to emphasize the physical degradation of soldiers. The opening lines, 'Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,' depict soldiers as broken and exhausted, robbed of their dignity and humanity. While Gurney’s tone is mournful, Owen’s is furious, using the soldiers’ suffering as a weapon against the myths of honor and glory in war.
Tone and Style
Gurney’s tone in The Target is reflective and melancholic, inviting readers into the speaker’s inner world. The poem reads like a confession, with its simple language and conversational style creating a sense of intimacy. This understated approach amplifies the emotional weight of the speaker’s guilt and longing.
Owen’s tone, however, is unapologetically confrontational. The rhythm of Dulce et Decorum Est mirrors the chaos of war, with its jarring imagery and uneven pace pulling readers into the trenches. The poem builds to a crescendo of bitterness, as Owen uses the final lines to shatter any lingering illusions about the nobility of war.
Imagery: Rural vs. Grotesque :-
In The Target, Gurney employs rural imagery to contrast the natural beauty of home with the unnatural destruction of war. The speaker’s longing for “the deep heart of the West” serves as a poignant reminder of what is lost in conflict, both physically and spiritually.
Owen’s imagery, by contrast, is brutal and unrelenting. His descriptions of the gas attack the 'green sea' and the 'guttering, choking, drowning' soldier are deliberately grotesque, forcing readers to confront the physical horror of war. Where Gurney evokes sorrow, Owen provokes anger and disgust.
Conclusion :-
War poetry is a powerful reflection on the complexities of human experience during conflict, addressing themes like identity, guilt, courage, loyalty, and the dehumanizing effects of war. Ivor Gurney’s The Target and Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est exemplify this, with Gurney focusing on personal guilt and moral conflict, while Owen critiques the societal glorification of war through vivid, harrowing imagery. Despite their differences in tone and focus, both poems reveal the physical and emotional toll of war, dismantling any romanticized notions of its glory. War poetry, whether anti-war or introspective, ultimately invites readers to confront the profound questions of life and the devastating costs of violence and loss.
Thank you for reading..
Reference :-
.webp)
