Grief will inevitably be experienced in one’s life, a conflict within one’s heart. The poems Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen and The Solider by Rupert T Brooke, express destitution which arises as a consequence of war. Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney and Tree Grave by Oodgeroo Noonuccal, portray the wretchedness experienced at times of death. Finally, The Long Song of Alfred J Prufrock by T.S Eliot and Mirror by Sylvia Plath, reflect upon heartbreak and the process of ageing. The poets utilise a variety of literary devices to convey unique interpretations upon their experiences with sorrow.
Imagery is evidently used by all poets, effectively immersing the reader in their lived experiences. The Love Song of Alfred J Prufrock is from the …show more content…
Both poets utilise explicit imagery to convey this idea. Owen describes once optimistic youth to be “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks / knock-kneed / coughing like hags”. The similes, and auditory and visual imagery contrast the naïve ideals of war to the dire truth. The images created are starkly different to Brookes jingoistic, and optimistic sonnet. Brooke avoids direct descriptions of the war, as his love for “England” blinds him from the impending horror of World War 1. No similes are present, but instead, like Harney’s poem, alliteration is utilised. However, the purpose of the alliteration differs, with the sibilance creating a calming tone, for “if [he] should die” saddened hearts should feel honored of his death in “…some corner of a foreign field / that is forever England...”. Contrastingly, Owen sees the war to be far from blissful and “hearts” far from “peace”. Hyperbole metaphor is also used to dehumanizes soldiers to the stark truth at the root of their “froth-corrupted lungs”. His ironic tone, and vivid scenes of horror, strongly condemns war. The simile “like a devil’s sick of sin” directly contradicting Brook’s idea of “all evil shed away”. He exposes the malevolent nature of “The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est” and warns “children ardent for some desperate glory” to avert such a woeful
Imagery is evidently used by all poets, effectively immersing the reader in their lived experiences. The Love Song of Alfred J Prufrock is from the …show more content…
Both poets utilise explicit imagery to convey this idea. Owen describes once optimistic youth to be “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks / knock-kneed / coughing like hags”. The similes, and auditory and visual imagery contrast the naïve ideals of war to the dire truth. The images created are starkly different to Brookes jingoistic, and optimistic sonnet. Brooke avoids direct descriptions of the war, as his love for “England” blinds him from the impending horror of World War 1. No similes are present, but instead, like Harney’s poem, alliteration is utilised. However, the purpose of the alliteration differs, with the sibilance creating a calming tone, for “if [he] should die” saddened hearts should feel honored of his death in “…some corner of a foreign field / that is forever England...”. Contrastingly, Owen sees the war to be far from blissful and “hearts” far from “peace”. Hyperbole metaphor is also used to dehumanizes soldiers to the stark truth at the root of their “froth-corrupted lungs”. His ironic tone, and vivid scenes of horror, strongly condemns war. The simile “like a devil’s sick of sin” directly contradicting Brook’s idea of “all evil shed away”. He exposes the malevolent nature of “The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est” and warns “children ardent for some desperate glory” to avert such a woeful