World War I Poetry:
Summary: A comparsison of universal ideas regarding war in general, conveyed in the following works about World War I: the film "All Quiet On the Western Front" and the poems "The Soldier" by Rupert Brooke, "Counter Attack" by Siegfried Sassoon, and "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae.
The First World War was the first military conflict in history that evoked such an extensive band of responses on war. A.Q.W.F and WWI poetry, based on this, combine to exemplify the universal idea that war is never beautiful, honourable or civilized.
In the beginning, war lit up the skies with grand fireworks and glamour- it seemed the whole world was in an ecstasy of jingoism, excitement and ignorance.
'The Soldier', written by Rupert Brooke, elevates war to an unrealistic perception of beauty and super patriotism.
'Her sights and sounds dream happy as her day'
This conveys the flowery and formal language used to elevate and romanticize war.
'If I should die, think only this of me:/ That there is some corner of a foreign field that is forever England'
This conveys the idealistically patriotic and noble idea of war through the undermining of self by the narrator for their country.
The movie A.Q.W.F, composed by Debert Mann after the tragedy of war was experienced, uses these early oil painted perceptions to reject such notions as folly.
An example of this is when the godlike Kaiser presents ranks of German soldiers with medals. It is a grand parade of gold braids, marshal music, formality and glamour. However such grandness merely emphasizes the incivility and dishonour of war through the contrast of visual imagery. The deserted setting is an urban rubble; the close-ups of the soldiers facial expressions reject such majesty; the audience has followed the soldiers throughout the horrible experience of war; and medal recipient Himilstosh is nothing short of a coward. Any would-be glory and civility has been severely undermined. There is no beauty in the realness of war.
The poem 'Counter Attack', written by Siegfried Sassoon, powerfully conveys the ugliness of war experienced.
'And naked sodden buttocks, mats of hair'
The description is an attack on our senses. Imagery is painted in detail to convey the overwhelmingly repulsive disillusioned environment of ware fare.
'In Flanders Fields', written by John McCrae, is another pro-war poem illustrating the naive viewpoint of an honourable and civilized war. This poem encourages men to do their duty and go to war through the voice of the dead.
'Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw/ The torch be yours to hold up high'
War is conveyed not only a duty, but and honour. This quote conveys the glorification of war and honour war bestows upon a man with the torch symbolizing everything they believe in- power, life, responsibility and hope.
Such glory and civility of war is contradicted in A.Q.W.F and the poem 'Strange Meeting'.
An example of this in AF.W.F is at the very beginning. While the teacher Kantorek delivers a stirring patriotic speech 'Your duty as a man, your duty for the fatherland' to his class, contrasting visual scenes undermine the words with the camera focusing on the student Paul Boumer who sketches a lark on the windowsill. The high-minded speech of duty, patriotism and civility is made empty and ignoble by such contrast.
'Strange Meeting', written by Wilfred Owen, conveys war to be futile and piteous.
'None will break ranks though nations trek from progress'
By communicating futility, war is stripped of duty, point and civility.
'The pity of war, the pity war distilled'
This quote conveys what war leaves- nothing but the feeling of absolute pity. No honour, no glory, no beauty, no civility. This is further emphasized by the repetition of the word 'pity'.
All of these texts combine to exemplify universal ideas of war. It is evident from these texts that any beautiful, honourable or civilized representations of war conveyed were at the beginning of WWI when society was still naïve. As the disillusioned nature of war was exposed, texts professed the true repulsiveness and horrors of war that was anything short of such previous ignorant perceptions.
war poetry
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