English Truman

Wilfred Owen explores the suffering and pity of war from his first-hand experience. Wilfred Owen’s poetry provides the reader with insights into the war and its trauma. The setting of his poems has a significant aspect in providing the reader with first-hand experience of the devastations of war. In both ‘Mental Cases’ and ‘Disabled’ he writes about the torment and suffering during and after war. Owen’s skilful use of language sets a dramatic scene into the tragedy of war.
Owen’s use of language in ‘disabled’ helps identify the innocence, pity and the loss and waste of war. ‘Disabled’ a poem of a man who has returned limbless, as an causality of war.
Owen begins by setting the mood ‘ waiting for dark’ colour references to ‘dark’ and ‘grey’ establishes the disorienting mood, as well as creating imagery making his disabled figure yearn for its shielding cloak. His limbless state now forces him to be reliant on those around him.
By using a pronoun and not naming the solider ‘he sat in a wheeled chair’ the victim now becomes a representative of those whose lives have been ruined by war. He speaks for those who were forgotten.
Their insensitivity becomes representative of the common guilt that has made him feel worthless ‘now he will spend a few sick years in institutes’ set in a institute, demonstrates his reliance on people. What is yearned for now is temporary relief offered by darkness and sleep? Owen’s use of pity in the line ‘why don’t they come?’ life as is, is not worth living. So instead he asks to be put out of his misery.
‘Mental cases’ a poem written about a traumatic experience of soldiers and also the after math of war. The opening sentence sets and creates an image ‘who are these? Why sit here in twilight?’ the tone is demanding, the multiple term of ‘these’ recommends there are multiple people involved. By not naming them it keeps it open ended, and also make you wonder about their identities. The use of multiple rhetorical questions creates a...