A Comparative Analysis of War Poetry 

War poetry is one of the most evocative forms of literature, as it not only reflects the brutal realities of conflict but also explores deeper themes of humanity, morality, and the effects of war on individuals. Through poetry, we are invited to reflect on life’s larger questions: identity, guilt, courage, death, and the true cost of warfare. In this blog, we will delve into three key questions about war poetry, comparing works from the English literary canon and analyzing how these poems explore war’s impact on soldiers and society.

1) Choosing a Poem from the English Literary Canon on War and Comparing It to Another War Poem

For this discussion, I’ll compare Thomas Hardy’s The Man He Killed (1902) with Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est (1917). Both poems tackle the theme of war, but they do so in very different ways, using contrasting styles, language, and tones.

Themes of War :

Hardy’s The Man He Killed explores the absurdity of war and how men who might have been friends under different circumstances are forced to become enemies because of war. The speaker’s reflection about killing a man, who he imagines could have been a drinking buddy, highlights the randomness and senselessness of conflict.

Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est, on the other hand, presents a graphic critique of the glorification of war. Owen emphasizes the horrors and suffering of war through his vivid descriptions of a soldier dying in a gas attack, rejecting the notion that it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country. Owen’s poem directly challenges the idealistic view of war as noble, using the horrific realities of the battlefield to underscore his message.

Style and Language:

Hardy’s Style is simple and conversational. The use of short, direct sentences in the first-person monologue creates a reflective, almost detached tone. Hardy’s language is unadorned, reinforcing the banality of the speaker’s experience and the ordinariness of his reflection on the killing.

Owen’s Style is far more graphic and emotive. His language is intense, filled with vivid imagery such as “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,” and “floundering like a man in fire or lime.” This disturbing imagery contrasts with Hardy’s simplicity, as Owen works to shock the reader into recognizing the brutality of war.

Tone and Treatment of War :

Hardy’s tone is reflective and almost resigned, expressing a sense of inevitability. The irony in the poem, where the speaker considers how easily the man he killed could have been a companion, reveals the futility of war.

Owen’s tone, however, is filled with outrage. He uses the poem to criticize not only the horrors of war but also the propaganda that glorifies it. The final lines, “The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est / Pro patria mori,” challenge the idea that dying for one’s country is a noble sacrifice.

2) War Poetry as an Exploration of Larger Questions of Life

War poetry is not necessarily “anti-war .” Rather, it often delves into the profound human experiences that war brings to the forefront, including issues of identity, loyalty, guilt, and death. Let’s explore this idea through Ivor Gurney’s The Target (1917) and Siegfried Sassoon’s The Hero (1917).

Gurney’s The Target presents the psychological toll of war on soldiers. In this poem, the speaker reflects on how soldiers are reduced to mere targets, stripped of their identity and agency. Gurney explores how war forces soldiers to grapple with their own mortality and the futility of their existence in a larger conflict. His use of detached, almost clinical language highlights the disillusionment soldiers experience and their struggle with the lack of meaning in war.

Sassoon’s The Hero, while also exploring the psychological effects of war, focuses more on the idealization of soldiers. The poem critiques the way in which soldiers, especially those who die in battle, are glorified and turned into heroes. Through the eyes of a mother mourning her son’s death, Sassoon questions the notion of sacrifice in war. The soldier's sacrifice is painted as tragic, rather than glorious, emphasizing the waste of life and the dehumanizing effects of war.

Both poems show the loss of individuality and the dehumanization soldiers experience, but they also engage with larger questions of identity—whether soldiers are mere cogs in a war machine, or if they are genuinely heroes. Gurney’s detached language contrasts with Sassoon’s emotional criticism, but both poets explore the tension between humanity and duty in the context of war.

3) Comparing Ivor Gurney's The Target with Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est

In this comparison, we’ll explore how Ivor Gurney’s The Target and Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est treat the horrors of war, focusing on their poetic techniques, imagery, and messages.

Themes of War:

Gurney’s The Target depicts the mental and physical toll of war on soldiers. The title itself suggests the idea of soldiers as prey or victims of the war machine. Gurney’s poem seems to reflect a sense of fatalism, suggesting that soldiers are targeted not just physically but psychologically, as they are pushed to their limits and often broken by the violence around them.

Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est, however, directly critiques the glorification of war. Owen’s graphic imagery, such as the soldier “gasping for air,” presents the stark and brutal reality of war, sharply contrasting with the romanticized view of soldiers dying for a noble cause. Owen’s famous line, "Dulce et decorum est / Pro patria mori," challenges the myth of the noble sacrifice and exposes the horror of war.

Poetic Style and Language:

Gurney’s The Target is characterized by its stark, almost detached language. The irregular rhythm and spare diction contribute to the sense of chaos and the inevitability of death in war. The poem's language does not seek to shock the reader, but rather, to present the grim reality in a cold, almost clinical manner.

Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est uses vivid, highly graphic imagery to bring the reader into the moment. The physical suffering of the soldiers is presented in shocking detail, and Owen’s use of iambic pentameter with enjambment creates a sense of urgency and disarray, mirroring the confusion and chaos of the battlefield.

Tone and Message:

Gurney’s tone is detached, focusing on the inevitability of death and the mechanical nature of war. The poem lacks any emotional outbursts, reflecting the numbing effect of constant violence on soldiers.

Owen’s tone, in contrast, is one of outrage and disillusionment. The graphic depiction of the gas attack serves as a condemnation of the notion that it is honorable to die for one’s country, particularly when death in war is so brutal and senseless.

Conclusion

Both Gurney’s The Target and Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est provide powerful reflections on the brutal realities of war. While Gurney’s poem is detached and fatalistic, focusing on the inevitable destruction of soldiers, Owen’s is emotive and graphic, directly challenging the glorification of war. Both poets use stark imagery and vivid language to depict the suffering and disillusionment experienced by soldiers, but their tones and messages differ significantly, with Gurney offering a more resigned perspective and Owen delivering a direct critique of war’s myths.

Through these poems, we see how war poetry can explore themes of identity, guilt, loyalty, courage, and death, offering readers not just a reflection on war itself, but also on the larger, often uncomfortable questions of humanity and morality that it raises.