Wilfred Owen
wrote a preface to his book of poems in which he famously said, “The
poetry is in the pity.” What do you think that means?
What does it presume about poetry? Is it true of his poems, or of
anyone’s poems? “Dulce et Decorum Est,” “Anthem for Doomed Youth,” and “Disabled” are particularly relevant to this question; indeed, all of Owen’s poems on some level reflect his approach and philosophy.
Owen is the
master of a technique he called pararhyme. “Strange Meeting”
and “Exposure” are superb examples of this technique. Examine the formal elements
of these poems closely. What do you think pararhyme is? Are any
of his other poems that you are reading for this assignment examples
of pararhyme?
“Anthem for Doomed Youth” is a sonnet. We have seen both Brooke and Sassoon employ the sonnet form in their poems. How is Owen’s poem different from theirs?
Again, in lieu
of these questions you may explicate any one of these poems, or any
portion of one of these poems, as fully as you can. As always with
poetry, your focus should be on not only what the theme or message
of the poem is but on how the poem conveys it. Remember that in an
effective poem, the form of the poem recapitulates the theme. Do not
merely paraphrase. Write about what makes the poem — or passage
within the poem — effective.