1. Wilfred Owen

2. Wilfred Owen Born in Shropshire, England in 1883.
He became interested in poetry and music at an early age

3. Early Life and Education
Wilfred wanted to study at university so he could improve his writing.
He applied to go to universities in London and Reading but did not get a place. This was mainly because he did not have enough money to live away from home.
Instead he decided to work as an assistant to a vicar. He thought this would help him raise the money he needed to go to university.
Wilfred eventually became a teacher and went to work at an English school in France. He met a French poet and learnt new styles of writing poetry
Wilfred went to a school near his home and he loved drama and poetry. He read lots of poems by John Keats. He liked the way that Keats created vivid pictures with his words. The words made Wilfred feel like he could see what Keats saw.
Wilfred came to love the English language and started writing his own poems when he was 17.

4. “ I do now most intensely want to fight.” “I hate washy pacifists."
Wilfred Owen
Before you find out any more have a look at some statements made by Wilfred Owen.
“The people of England needn’t hope. They must agitate.“
“ I do now most intensely want to fight.”
“I hate washy pacifists."
* Pacifist- a person who believes that war and violence are unjustifiable.

5. Task 1
What do these statements tell us about Owen’s feelings regarding the war?
Explain your answer using one complete sentence.
Would you regard Owen as an Anti-war or Pro War poet? – write your answer in one complete sentence.

6. You are now going to find out more about Owen
Sent to the battle field in Sent to the Somme sector to begin with and then to the Hindenburg line.
A shell exploded close by him and left him severely shell shocked. He was sent back to England to recover.
Upon his return his view of war began to change.
He became very critical of armchair patriots

7. Wilfred Owen Mental Cases Anthem for Doomed Youth Disabled Futility
Look the list of titles opposite. These are all titles of poems that Owen wrote after he was injured during the war.
What do these titles suggest about Owen’s feelings towards the war at that stage?
Has his opinion of War changed? Why do you think this is?
Mental Cases
Anthem for Doomed Youth
Disabled
Futility
Insensibility

8. More about Owen
Owen was sent to Craiglock Hospital to be treated for shell shock.
By day the hospital was a relatively pleasant place but at night the atmosphere changed
The patients were tormented by their experiences and Owen was woken up frequently by the screams of the men around him.
Some symptoms of shell shock: Mental Trauma
Anxiety
Hallucinations
Facial/ Body tics

9. Wilfred Owen Once Owen recovered he was sent out to fight once more.
He was sent to the front line and was killed in action on 4th November A week later the war ended.
His family received notification of his death on the 11th of November, the day the war ended.

10. Dulce et Decorum Est.
We are now going to study one of Owen’s most famous poems
“Dulce et Decorum Est.”
Which means “ it is a sweet and fitting thing to die for ones country”
What does the title say about the poem?
(Glue the poem on the next blank page of your interactive journal and record it in the table of contents)

11. Reading the poem We will now read “Dulce et Decorum Est”
For this poem, we will analyze the poetic devices used in order to understand the author’s view.
Poetic Devices:
Symbolism
Imagery
Tone
Mood
Metaphor/Simile
Rhyme
Alliteration
Focus on these questions:
What is daily life like for a soldier?
What is the meaning of war?
How did Own use poetic devices to show his point of view about the war?