Literary Criticism - General & Miscellaneous, English Poetry - 20th Century - Literary Criticism, British Armed Forces - Biography, World War I - General & Miscellaneous, English Poetry - General & Miscellaneous - Literary Criticism, British Poets - Liter

Wilfred Owen

Name: Wilfred Owen
Author: Merryn Williams
ISBN: 9781854110909

by Merryn Williams

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Overview

Owen is probably the outstanding poet of WWI, certainly the most popular. His poetry is a powerful and often moving statement against modern war. Owen was shell-shocked and hospitalized during the war (where he became a friend of Siegfried Sassoon), but his sense of social responsibility took him back to the trenches, where he was killed in the last week of the war. Williams' study of Owen is divided into three sections. The first, 'Life', describes Owen's upbringing and his developing political conscience. In 'Poetry' she gives individual commentary on his most important poems, and in 'Breaking Ranks' she explores moral attitudes on war - particularly those held by women. She also demonstrates the way Owen's work continues to influence other twentieth century war poets.