QUESTION: 'The most influential texts are those that have an intense focuses on extraordinary human experiences'. How has Owen explored extraordinary human experiences? In your response make detailed reference to 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'. RESPONSE: The extraordinary human experiences are captured by Wilfred Owen during his short period of service during World War one through poetry. The poems 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth' are two poems that intensely focused on the experiences of the young soldiers in the battlefront, which include human pain and suffering, human loss and the dehumanisation effect of the war. Wilfred Owen conveyed these ideas of human experiences by the use of a range of poetic devices and literary techniques such as irony, simile, extended metaphor and juxtaposition. Through the use of such techniques allowed Owen to emphasis his ideas and perspectives into the war. The idea of human suffering was captured vividly in the lines of Wilfred Owen's poem 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' through the excess use of simile and extended metaphor throughout the poem, such as 'Bent double, like old beggars under sacks', 'coughing like hags', 'like a devil's sick of sin'. The use of extended metaphor and simile provides a visual image of the young soldier's suffering in the trenches, it also allowed Owen to convey a sense of exasperation of fatigue and exhaustion, which provides an opportunity for the audiences to gain insights and perspectives into the harshness and cruelty of physical side of the battlefield. The use of onomatopoeia such as 'sludge', and 'trudge' also implies on the idea of human suffering by positioning the audience into the perspectives of the soldiers. Wilfred Owen also demonstrated a similar idea in the poem 'Anthem of Doomed Youth', however this idea is presented psychologically and emotionally in the form of remembrance of their physical self ; as compared to the physical harshness of war in the poem 'Dulce Et Decorum Est'. This unique perspective was further emphasised by the used of symbolic significance, biblical references and juxtaposition. Which can be evident in the lines 'Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds', 'And each slow dusk a drawing-down blinds', and the title 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'. Owen's careful selection of words used in the title gives the audiences a sense of promise and a song of praises as evidenced by the word 'Anthem', however Owen used this title to contradict with the content of the poem which allowed his to create a sense of discomfort and distortion that confronts the audiences with the idea of human suffering. In the last line 'And each slow dusk a drawing-down blinds', Owen uses symbolic significance to convey his pity and sorrow toward to death of young soldiers by
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referencing the act of drawing down of blinds in the end of the day as the closing ceremony for the end of their life, this allows Owen to create sympathy and draws attention to the significance of their short ended journey of life. Dehumanisation of war is an idea that Owen had focused into, which was can be evidenced through the uses of extended metaphor and juxtaposition. Such as 'guttering, choking, drowning', and 'As under the green sea, I saw him drowning' are examples of extended metaphor. The green smokes of toxic chemical grenade are described as green sea, this allows Owen to bring the experiences to life by describing the effect of toxic green smoke as unbreathable, suppressing force. The word downing is the same line has a similar effect, this brings the effect of the chemical grenade into everyday life events, which shocks the audiences by the number of casualties in the battlefield, and also the vulnerability of the young soldiers under chemical attack. 'Guttering, choking, drowning' are emotionally charged words which are able to confront and challenge the audience with horrific experiences of young soldiers in war which better allows Owen to create the dehumanising effect of war. Through the use of rhetorical questions, Wilfred Owen was able to question the audiences whose responsibility it is to keep the soldiers alive, as contrasted to lying dead beneath the soil of the battlefield, which is contrasted to the careless order give by the authorities. 'What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?', this sentence emphasis on Owen's anger and desperation for the soldiers who scarified their lives for nothing and their bodies are left in the battlefield like abandoned weapons. The phrase 'die as cattle' directly suggests Owen's perspective into the war, this phrase contains double meanings one where young soldiers are dehumanised and mechanised by being juxtaposed against cattle, but secondly they are seen as valueless and more inferior races by the higher chain of commends; where unreasonable orders are given to the soldiers without consideration. This clever use of words also allows Owen to emphasis on the mass killing on the battlefield. Wilfred Owen had successfully portrayed the ideas of human pain, suffering and the humanisation of war by describing first hand experiences of war, creating distinctive scenes which brings this devastating, confronting experience of war to life to the audiences both physically and psychologically, which will impact on the audience and re-establishes their view to the war, although the war is a controversial topic however through Wilfred Owen's unique perspective and insights into the war by intensely focusing on the extraordinary human experiences, he was able to make a strong statement for his own opinion toward the war.
