YEAR 11 ENGLISH: TEXT ANALYSIS

Task: Respond to one of the following topics in response to at least two poems by Wilfred Owen that we have studied as a class (Exposure, The Send Off, Strange Meeting, Dulce et Decorum est and Futility). You must make direct reference to Owens poems to illustrate the points you raise. Essay topic: 5. What literary devices does Owen utilise to evoke emotional reactions in order to influence the readers response to ideas? Wilfred Owen is easily recognised as one of the greatest British poets of World War I. Born in 1893, Owen voluntarily served in the British army from 1917 to 1918 and his experience as a soldier was what had inspired him to produce nearly all of his poetic pieces within the fifteen months at war. Owen utilises a repertoire of poetic devices in his poems with the purpose of evoking particular emotions within the reader as well as changing their view on certain aspects of war. Although many of Owens poetic techniques are considerably successful in influencing the readers response to the ideas raised, alliteration, similes and onomatopoeia are seemingly among some of the most regularly applied techniques. The application of alliteration is apparent in one of Owens poems Dulce et Decorum est. This technique creates a sense of urgency to the poem, simultaneously providing emphasis that in turn helps the line become more memorable. A lot of the times, Owen uses alliteration to arouse sympathy within the reader. Below is an example of this, excerpted from the final stanza. And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, Alliteration may also draw attention to a particular image, giving it heightened importance. In the line above, w is quite clearly the repetitive consonant. Aside from providing the poem with some rhythm, the use of alliteration in this case expresses Owens overpowering disgust of war by describing a moment of battle that is tremendously gruesome. The victims eyes are described as white, the colour that would in many cases symbolise peace. Here, it solely conveys terror, stressing the panic and the pain the victim in the poem is suffering and hence allowing the reader to sympathise with the soldiers who have taken part in war. Moreover, similes are another effective literary device in Owens poems. These often help convey imagery as they compare two unlike objects using the word like or as. An example of this can be found in Owens poem Exposure. Watching, we hear the mad gusts tugging on the wire, Like twitching agonies of men among its brambles. The excerpt above contains a simile, used to describe the harsh weather conditions at the time. The use of the personification mad gusts tugging on the wire contributes to creating a vivid picture for the reader, allowing them to envision the extreme cold weather the soldiers are exposed to. By using the description twitching agonies of men among its brambles to compare with mad gusts tugging on the wire, the reader is struck by the idea that in reality, the weather has a rather hostile attitude towards the soldiers. The use of similes such as this expresses Owens fear and misery, allowing him to achieve mutual feelings within the reader. Furthermore, the use of first-person plural makes the reader feel as though they are one of the soldiers in the poem.