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Introduction of Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Owen was an English poet and soldier who was one of the leading poets of World War I.

Here are some key points about his life and work:

 Owen was born on March 18, 1893, in Oswestry, Shropshire, and was deeply interested in poetry
from a young age.

 He was educated at Birkenhead Institute and Shrewsbury Technical College, and worked as a
private tutor in France before the outbreak of World War I.

 Owen enlisted in the army in 1915 and was sent to the Western Front in 1917, where he
experienced the horrors of trench warfare firsthand.

 He wrote some of his most famous poems, including "Anthem for Doomed Youth" and "Dulce et
Decorum Est," during his time in the army.

 Owen was killed in action on November 4, 1918, just one week before the Armistice was signed.

 His poetry is known for its graphic portrayal of the physical and psychological trauma of war, and
for its exploration of the loss of morality and emotion in the face of conflict.

 Owen's work stands in contrast to the more romanticized war poetry of earlier poets, and he is
considered one of the most important voices of the First World War.

Overall, Wilfred Owen's poetry is a powerful and moving testament to the human cost of war, and his
legacy continues to inspire readers and writers today

Important Works
Wilfred Owen is known for his powerful and moving poetry, particularly his works related to World War I.
Some of his most important poems include:

 "Anthem for Doomed Youth"

 "Futility"

 "Dulce Et Decorum Est"

 "The Parable of the Old Men and the Young"

 "Strange Meeting"

The themes of Wilfred Owen's works include:


 The loss of innocence

 Brotherhood and friendship

 The horrors of war

 Disillusionment with religion


 Nature

 Inhumanity, deceptiveness, and impact of war

 Anti-war ideas

Anthem for Doomed Youth" is a powerful poem by Wilfred Owen that addresses the futility and horror
of war. The text of the poem can be found below:

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?


— Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?


Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds
The poem begins by asking about the funeral rites for soldiers who die in war, and it emphasizes the
harsh reality of their deaths, contrasting the innocence of cattle with the brutality of war. The poem then
shifts its focus to the living, who can only watch and mourn the loss of their loved ones. The phrase
"shining in their eyes" suggests that the memories of those who have died will forever be present in the
minds of the survivors, and the poem concludes with a sense of sorrow and loss.

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