Realities of War
Realities of War: Loved and Lost English Literature 108 July 27 2014
War is a patriotic act where one seeks the determination to lead their country. It can be viewed as noble, cruel, inhumane, and can make an individual a hero or a criminal. It affects everyone in a society, hoping loved ones are safe, whether they are the ones fighting in the battlefield or waiting at home. “Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen presents a speaker who criticizes war and illustrates a vivid picture in the readers mind regarding the harsh realities surrounding warfare, including the fallen soldiers and the ones left behind to grieve their losses. Where as W.B. Yeats in Easter 1916 portrays a speaker who conveys an ambiguous attitude in relation to war, they initially seem undecided in their feelings regarding the rebellious revolutionaries who led the uprising, but soon turn to appreciate and appreciate the fallen individuals. Imagery is used to explore and portray complex subject matters; Owen and Yeats illustrate the harsh realities of war using imagery that incorporates objects seen and used in every day life. All though the speaker’s perspectives differ and they explore warfare from different angles, their use of imagery serves as a powerful tool in emphasizing the positive and negative aspects of war and the side effects on a society. Owen and Yeats both question the necessity of war in “Anthem for Doomed Youth” and “Easter 1916” but Owen uses imagery that evokes negative responses to war, whereas Yeats presents an ambiguous perspective through his use of imagery. Owen creates contrary feelings towards the subject of war through his imagery. Contrasting “Anthem” with “Doomed Youth” initiates the tone
War is a patriotic act where one seeks the determination to lead their country. It can be viewed as noble, cruel, inhumane, and can make an individual a hero or a criminal. It affects everyone in a society, hoping loved ones are safe, whether they are the ones fighting in the battlefield or waiting at home. “Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen presents a speaker who criticizes war and illustrates a vivid picture in the readers mind regarding the harsh realities surrounding warfare, including the fallen soldiers and the ones left behind to grieve their losses. Where as W.B. Yeats in Easter 1916 portrays a speaker who conveys an ambiguous attitude in relation to war, they initially seem undecided in their feelings regarding the rebellious revolutionaries who led the uprising, but soon turn to appreciate and appreciate the fallen individuals. Imagery is used to explore and portray complex subject matters; Owen and Yeats illustrate the harsh realities of war using imagery that incorporates objects seen and used in every day life. All though the speaker’s perspectives differ and they explore warfare from different angles, their use of imagery serves as a powerful tool in emphasizing the positive and negative aspects of war and the side effects on a society. Owen and Yeats both question the necessity of war in “Anthem for Doomed Youth” and “Easter 1916” but Owen uses imagery that evokes negative responses to war, whereas Yeats presents an ambiguous perspective through his use of imagery. Owen creates contrary feelings towards the subject of war through his imagery. Contrasting “Anthem” with “Doomed Youth” initiates the tone
Cited: Heaney, Liam. "Ireland 's Contemporary Writers: An Exploration." Contemporary Review 291.(2009): 340-350. Humanities Source. Web. 27 July 2014. URL: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.ufv.ca:2048/eds/detail/detail?vid=3 &sid=9f15e73a78324c91b27fd40a7e791357@sessionmgr4004&hid=4203 &bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU=#db=hus&AN=509945597 Penny, William Kevin. "A Tragic Harp: Ritual, Irony And Myth In The War Poetry Of Wilfred Owen." Language & Literature 20.2 (2011): 151-167. Humanities Source. Web. 27 July 2014.URL: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.ufv.ca:2048/eds/detail/detail?vid=5&sid= 9f15e73a78324c91b27fd40a7e791357%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4111& data=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=aph&AN=60833395 Riede, Austin. "W.B. Yeats 's Economies Of Sacrifice: War, Rebellion, And ‘Wasteful Virtue’." Irish Studies Review 19.4 (2011): 401-411. Humanities Source. Web. 27 July 2014. URL: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.ufv.ca:2048/eds/detail/detail?vid=7&sid= 9f15e73a78324c91b27fd40a7e791357%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4111&b data=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=aph&AN=67651648 Wilfred, Owen. “Anthem for Doomed Youth”. The Broadview Introduction to Literature. Ed. Lisa Chalykoff, Neta Gordon, & Paul Lumsden. Peterborough: Broadview, 2013. 1087- 1088. Print. Yeats, W.B. “Easter 1916”. The Broadview Introduction to Literature. Ed. Lisa Chalykoff, Neta Gordon, & Paul Lumsden. Peterborough: Broadview, 2013. 1057- 1060. Print.