Wilfred Owen

Written in August/September 1917 at Craiglockhart Later listed it under "inhumanity in War” The diction is largely colloquial, the tone matter-of- fact and tinged with bitterness Sassoon's influence is strong

Sacrifice Christ's sacrifice for man's redemption Sacrificing your life for the better of the country – willing to be insulted and treated as inferior Blood Referred to as a dirty stain so could be seen as a stain of guilt

Stanza 1 Owen can be recognised as the officer Conscious of his rank and the importance of maintaining discipline Stanza 2 Still seen as the officer, slightly unhappy on reflection about the man’s punishment Seeking him out for a quiet chat, man to man Stanza 3 Young soldier’s viewpoint who’s treated unfairly A young man of evident education and philosophical bent

‘You! What d’you mean by this?’ I rapped. ‘You dare come on parade like this?’ ‘Please, sir, it’s -’ ”Old yer mouth,’ the sergeant snapped. ‘I takes ‘is name, sir?’ – ‘Please, and then dismiss.’ Some days ‘confined to camp’ he got, For being ‘dirty on parade’. He told me, afterwards, the damned spot Was blood, his own. ‘Well, blood is dirt,’ I said Reference to Macbeth; stain of guilt Punishment Onomatopoeic sounds add to the feeling of menace Ignorance, unsympathetic, single minded Inspection parade Acceptance of warfare Heavy beat promises drama to come; foreshadows

Blood’s dirt,’ he laughed, looking away Far off to where his wound had bled And almost merged for ever into clay. ‘The world is washing out its stains,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t like our cheeks so red: Young blood’s its great objection. But when we’re duly white-washed, being dead, The race will bear Field-Marshal God’s inspection.’ Scorn and some sadness ; an army commander thinks he’s God and God turned into army commander all in one? Shows that little boys were at war & were being treated like this Mockery; lack of respect Reveals the soldier as the poem’s “truth-teller” Material stains can be easily removed; stains of guilt cannot be removed by physical means