Compare And Contrast The Way Rupert Brooke And Wilfred Owen Approach The Subject Of War

War Poetry: ÐŽ§Dulce Et Decorum EstЎЁ and ÐŽ§The SoldierЎЁ

2) Compare and contrast the way two writers have approached a similar subject

Poems regarding the subject of war typically fall into one of two categories, ones that idealise and glorify war and ones that highlight the horror and cruelty of war. ÐŽ§The SoldierЎЁ by Rupert Brooke belongs to the first category, and ÐŽ§Dulce Et Decorum EstЎЁ by Wilfred Owen belongs to the second. Even though the compositions of these two poems are both based on the same subject - war, the composers tried to convey very different ideas, views and messages, through very different approaches.

Through ÐŽ§Dulce Et Decorum EstЎЁ, Wilfred Owen revealed the horrendous nature of war. In order to strip war of itÐŽ¦s apparent glory, Owen featured the utter degradation of war as the predominant idea, and approached this in the most disturbing and yet effective way possible ÐŽV through the graphical description of an individual soldier suffering from a painful death. The start of the poem introduced a dark, haunting picture of a group of men so damaged by the war that even the ÐŽ§tired, outstrippedЎЁ bombs can hardly penetrate their fatigued consciousness. They are ÐŽ§drunk with fatigueЎЁ ÐŽ§lameЎЁ ÐŽ§blindЎЁ and ÐŽ§blood-shodЎЁ. There is nothing glamorous, heroic or patriotic in this initial scene. The focus then moves to an individual who was so weary that he could not get his gas mask on in time during a gas attack. Now the poem concentrates on the utter horror that overcomes him. The gas penetrates his lungs and disintegrates them so that his death is a terrible spectacle. The quote - ÐŽ§The blood comes gargling from froth-corrupted lungs.ЎЁ gave the readers a disturbing sight of the incredible pain that the soldier suffered before his death. Through this horrifying account filled with powerful imageries, Owen successfully exposed the horror of war at its worst. In the last few sentences he made his final message clear, 'My friend, you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory, the old lie: Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori.' The way that Owen approached to express the predominant message of the poem was through making a personal plea to the reader, telling them not to tell children that war is a patriotic act and the only answer to the world's problems. It is in fact the worst possible answer, that there can never be honour as a result of war and there are only dire consequences.

In strong contrast to ÐŽ§Dulce Et Decorum EstЎЁ, ÐŽ§The SoldierЎЁ by Rupert Brooke idealised and glorified war. Based on the misconception that war was an exotic adventure, Rupert BrookeÐŽ¦s poem focused on the idea that war was somehow glamorous and honourable.