Blog task : War Poetry

                     "  War poetry"

Welcome to my blog, where I will talk about what I think and try to answer the questions given in this task.this blog is written as response to the given by vaidehi ma'am.

Introduction:

What is war poetry?

War poetry delves into the human experience of conflict, exposing realities beyond glorification. From battlefield horrors to emotional scars, these poems often challenge war's purpose and its impact on individuals and societies. Spanning ancient epics to modern verses, war poetry serves as a powerful historical record, reminding us of the costs and consequences of conflict while urging empathy and critical thought.

Beyond the raw realities of battlefields and the searing scars of loss, war poetry explores a deeper tapestry of themes. It challenges the glorification of conflict, questioning its cost on individuals, societies, and the very fabric of humanity. From comradeship forged in fire to the enduring trauma etched in minds, it paints a nuanced picture of war's devastating impact. This genre stretches far beyond WWI's trenches, echoing in ancient epics Civil War verses, and even contemporary reflections on modern conflicts. Whether in Homer's battlefield sagas or Owen's poignant trench poems, war poetry serves as a potent historical record, urging empathy, critical thought, and a sobering reminder of the true cost of conflict. So, delve into its depths, discover the voices that resonate, and let war poetry's stark beauty challenge and enlighten you.

There are a five major war poem:

1.Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,

Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,

And towards our distant rest began to trudge.

Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,

But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;

Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots

Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling

Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,

But someone still was yelling out and stumbling

And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—

Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,

As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace

Behind the wagon that we flung him in,

And watch the white eyes 

writhing in his face,

His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;

If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood

Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,

Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud

Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—

My friend, you would not tell with such high zest

To children ardent for some desperate glory,

The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est

Pro patria

 mori.

2.The Soldier - RUPERT BROOKE

If I should die, think only this of me:

      That there’s some corner of a foreign field

That is for ever England. There shall be

     In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;

A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,

      Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam;

A body of England’s, breathing English air,

      Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,

      A pulse in the eternal mind, no less

           Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;

Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;

     And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,

            In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

Poetry Out Loud Note: This poem has had two titles: “The Soldier” and “Nineteen-Fourteen: The Soldier”. The student may give either title during the recitation.

3.The Fear – Wilfrid Wilson Gibson

I do not fear to die

'Neath the open sky,

To meet death in the fight

Face to face, upright.

But when at last we creep

Into a hole to sleep,

I tremble, cold with dread,

Lest I wake up dead.

4.The Hero - Siegfried Sassoon

"Jack fell as he'd have wished," the Mother said,

And folded up the letter that she'd read.

"The Colonel writes so nicely." Something broke

In the tired voice that quavered to a choke.

She half looked up. "We mothers are so proud

Of our dead soldiers." Then her face was bowed

Quietly the Brother Officer went out.

He'd told the poor old dear some gallant lies

That she would nourish all her days, no doubt.

For while he coughed and mumbled, her weak eyes

Had shone with gentle triumph, brimmed with joy,

Because he'd been so brave, her glorious boy.

He thought how "Jack," cold-footed, useless swine,

Had panicked down the trench that night the mine

Went up at Wicked Corner; how he'd tried

To get sent home; and how, at last, he died,

Blown to small bits. And no one seemed to care

Except that lonely woman with white hair.

5.The Target - Ivor Gurney

I shot him, and it had to be

One of us 'Twas him or me.

'Couldn't be helped' and none can blame

Me, for you would do the same

My mother, she can't sleep for fear

Of what might be a-happening here

To me. Perhaps it might be best

To die, and set her fears at rest

For worst is worst, and worry's done.

Perhaps he was the only son. . .

Yet God keeps still, and does not say

A word of guidance anyway

Well, if they get me, first I'll find

That boy, and tell him all my mind,

And see who felt the bullet worst,

And ask his pardon, if I durst

All's a tangle. Here's my job.

A man might rave, or shout, or sob;

And God He takes no sort of heed.

This is a bloody mess indeed.

Click here more detail this poem:

War poetry indeed serves as a powerful reflection of the impact of conflict on civilians and their conditions. Through vivid imagery and emotional expression, these poems often explore themes of humanity, power, freedom, and the complex array of emotions experienced during wartime. Their words have a profound ability to resonate with people, inspiring reflection on the human experience and the contributions individuals make in times of war.

Q.1.Note down the difference of all the War Poets.

Ans:

War poets, though united by their experience of conflict, expressed its horrors and complexities through diverse voices and perspectives. Here's a glimpse into their differences:

Nationality and Background:

British Poets:Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen, and Rupert Brooke hailed from England, reflecting the British perspective on World War I. Sassoon's aristocratic background and Owen's working-class upbringing shaped their contrasting views on class and war.

American Poets: Edna St. Vincent Millay and Joyce Kilmer represented the American experience in World War I and World War II, respectively. Millay's feminist voice challenged traditional gender roles, while Kilmer's patriotic poems resonated with wartime sentiment.

German Poets:August Stramm and Ernst Lissauer offered a German perspective on World War I. Stramm's experimental use of language mirrored the fragmentation of war, while Lissauer's controversial poems advocated for German aggression.

Themes and Approaches:

Disillusionment and Anti-war Sentiment: Poets like Sassoon and Owen vehemently criticized the romanticized notions of war, exposing its brutality and futility. Their poems often depicted the physical and psychological trauma of soldiers, urging an end to the conflict.

Patriotism and Heroism: Other poets, like Kilmer and Brooke, celebrated the heroism of soldiers and the ideals of patriotism. Their poems served as rallying cries and morale boosters, highlighting the sacrifices made for their respective nations.

Individuality and Personal Experiences: Beyond national narratives, many poets explored the war's impact on individual lives. Millay's poems grappled with loss and grief, while Stramm's fragmented verses conveyed the soldier's sense of alienation and dislocation.

Literary Styles and Techniques:

Traditional Forms: Some poets, like Brooke, employed traditional sonnets and metaphors to convey their message. Others, like Sassoon, experimented with free verse and colloquial language to capture the immediacy and rawness of war.

Symbolism and Imagery:Vivid imagery and symbolism became powerful tools for war poets. Owen's use of nature imagery, for instance, juxtaposed the beauty of the world with the ugliness of war.

Experimental Techniques: Stramm's use of onomatopoeia and fragmented syntax mimicked the disorienting experience of combat, while Millay's free verse and passionate declarations challenged conventional poetic forms.

Q.2Compare any two poems concerning the subject, style of writing, and patriotism.

Ans:

1."Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen

"Dulce et Decorum Est" is a poem by the English poet Wilfred Owen. Like most of Owen's work, it was written between August 1917 and September 1918, while he was fighting in World War 1. Owen is known for his wrenching descriptions of suffering in war. In "Dulce et Decorum Est," he illustrates the brutal everyday struggle of a company of soldiers, focuses on the story of one soldier's agonizing death, and discusses the trauma that this event left behind.

The poem is divided into two parts. The first part describes the soldiers' exhausted and miserable existence in the trenches, constantly under threat of death from shelling and gas attacks. The second part focuses on a specific gas attack, in which one of the soldiers is gruesomely killed.

2."The Soldier" by Rupert Brooke:

"The Soldier" is a sonnet written by English poet Rupert Brooke in 1914. It is one of five poems in his series titled "1914," which were inspired by the outbreak of World War I. The poem expresses the speaker's patriotic devotion to England and his willingness to die for his country.

"The Soldier" was the last of five poems of Brooke's War Sonnets about the start of World War I. As Brooke reached the end of his series, he turned to what happened when the soldier died, while abroad, in the middle of the conflict. When "The Soldier" was written, the bodies of servicemen were not regularly brought back to their homeland but buried nearby where they had died. In World War I, this produced vast graveyards of British soldiers in "foreign fields," and allows Brooke to portray these graves as representing a piece of the world that will be forever England.

We can also identify in the both poem's writting style also different objects and different writing style.

Writing style:

While Owen employs vivid and intense language with strong imagery to convey the harsh reality and brutality of war, adopting a critical and anti-war tone, Brooke takes a more traditional and romantic approach. Brooke's use of poetic and elevated language idealizes the notion of sacrificing for one's country, creating a distinct difference between the two poets' perspectives on war.

Patriotism:

Owen's poem questions conventional ideas about patriotic duty, highlighting the misleading nature of glorifying war. It expresses skepticism towards blind patriotism. In contrast, Brooke's poem embraces a strong patriotic sentiment, depicting a profound love for England and presenting a positive, idealized view of sacrificing for the nation.

Q.3.Do you find any such regional poem/movies/web series/songs that can be compared to any one of the poems Also, give a proper explanation of the similarity.

 There are so many movies and web series and poems we can compared to these war poems and it's contains. And it is comes with very interesting concept of war and it's impact on the field of nation. It shows the basic space of tyranny and survive in the war and after the war the actual situation.

"The Soldier" by Rupert Brooke:

"The Soldier" by Rupert Brooke is a powerful poem about patriotism and sacrifice, written at the outset of World War I. To find fitting comparisons, we need to consider its key themes and elements.

* War and Patriotism:

1."Gallipoli" (1981): This Australian film follows young men from Down Under who volunteer to fight in the brutal Gallipoli campaign during World War I. Like Brooke's poem, it portrays the initial patriotic fervor and glorification of war, but also depicts the harsh realities and devastating consequences of conflict.

 

2."Letters from Iwo Jima" (2006): Clint Eastwood's film tells the story of the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of Japanese soldiers. While not directly connected to Brooke's poem, it offers a fascinating counterpoint to his patriotic viewpoint, showcasing the human cost of war from the other side. 

Conclusion:

War poetry paints a multifaceted canvas of grief, disillusionment, and amidst the starkness, glimmers of resilience. Its conclusions often sting with the weight of loss, exposing the hollowness of victory and the scars etched on both soldier and civilian. Yet, in this bleak terrain, some poets unearth defiance, reminding us of the indomitable human spirit and the fragile flame of hope that dares to flicker even in the ashes of conflict. Through these powerful testaments, war poetry compels us to confront the cost of war, not only to honor the fallen but also so to strive for a future where the pen replaces the sword, and the final verse sings of peace, not loss.

Thank you.....