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The First World War The Poets Knew

Bill Grant

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Published in Some Desperate Glory: The First World War The Poets Knew

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The First World War, also known as the Great War, was one of the most cataclysmic events in human history. It claimed the lives of millions of soldiers and civilians, and left an enduring legacy of pain and suffering.

Some Desperate Glory: The First World War the Poets Knew

by Max Egremont

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Among the many who were affected by the war were a group of poets who served in the trenches. These poets, who included Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves, Rupert Brooke, Isaac Rosenberg, and Edward Thomas, bore witness to the horrors of the conflict and expressed their experiences through their writing.

Their poetry is a powerful indictment of war, and it offers a unique insight into the minds of the men who fought in it. Through their words, we can understand the physical and emotional toll that the war took on them, and the profound impact it had on their generation.

The Trenches

The trenches were a defining feature of the First World War. They were long, narrow ditches that were dug into the ground, and they provided soldiers with protection from enemy fire. However, the trenches were also a breeding ground for disease, and they were often filled with mud and water.

The poets who served in the trenches vividly described the horrors of trench warfare. In his poem "Dulce et Decorum Est," Wilfred Owen writes about the death of a young soldier who is suffocated by a gas attack.

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 tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.

Owen's poem is a powerful indictment of war, and it shows the devastating impact that it had on the soldiers who fought in it.

The Emotional Turmoil of Soldiers

The First World War was a time of great emotional turmoil for soldiers. They were often forced to witness the death and suffering of their comrades, and they lived in constant fear of being killed or injured themselves.

The poets who served in the trenches captured the emotional turmoil of soldiers in their writing. In his poem "The Soldier," Siegfried Sassoon writes about the psychological damage that war can inflict.

He does not smile. He does not speak. He stares at the ground, With dull, blank eyes.
He has forgotten his name. He has forgotten his home.
He has forgotten everything. He is a soldier.

Sassoon's poem shows the devastating impact that war can have on the human psyche.

The Impact of the War on a Generation

The First World War had a profound impact on the generation of men who fought in it. Many of them were young men who had never experienced anything like the horrors of war.

The poets who served in the trenches captured the disillusionment and despair that many soldiers felt after the war. In his poem "Anthem for Doomed Youth," Wilfred Owen writes about the young men who were killed in the war.

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, — The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

Owen's poem is a powerful elegy for the young men who were killed in the war. It shows the profound impact that the war had on their generation.

The poets who served in the trenches of the First World War bore witness to the horrors of the conflict and expressed their experiences through their writing. Their poetry is a powerful indictment of war, and it offers a unique insight into the minds of the men who fought in it.

The poets who served in the trenches were not only talented writers, but they were also brave men who risked their lives to fight for their country. Their poetry is a testament to their courage and their sacrifice.

Some Desperate Glory: The First World War the Poets Knew

by Max Egremont

4.3 out of 5