'Greater Love' by Wilfred Owen
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Red lips are not so red
As the stained stones kissed by the English dead.
Kindness of wooed and wooer
Seems shame to their love pure.
O Love, your eyes lose lure
When I behold eyes blinded in my stead!
Your slender attitude
Trembles not exquisite like limbs knife-skewed,
Rolling and rolling there
Where God seems not to care;
Till the fierce Love they bear
Cramps them in death's extreme decrepitude.
Your voice sings not so soft, --
Though even as wind murmuring through raftered loft, --
Your dear voice is not dear,
Gentle, and evening clear,
As theirs whom none now hear
Now earth has stopped their piteous mouths that coughed.
Heart, you were never hot,
Nor large, nor full like hearts made great with shot;
And though your hand be pale,
Paler are all which trail
Your cross through flame and hail:
Weep, you may weep, for you may touch them not.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Greater Love by Wilfred Owen: A Poetic Exploration of Sacrifice and Love
Wilfred Owen's poem, Greater Love, is a stunning exploration of the themes of love, sacrifice, and death. Written during World War I, the poem showcases Owen's poetic mastery as he delves into the complex emotions and experiences of soldiers who have given their lives in battle. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the various elements of the poem and uncover the deeper meaning and significance of Greater Love.
Historical and Cultural Context
To truly understand the poem, it is important to consider the historical and cultural context in which it was written. World War I was a devastating conflict that claimed the lives of millions of soldiers from across the world. As a soldier himself, Wilfred Owen was acutely aware of the horrors of war and the toll it took on those who fought in it. Greater Love was written in 1917, during a time of great turmoil and uncertainty. The poem reflects Owen's experiences on the battlefield and his deep empathy for his fellow soldiers who fought alongside him.
Poetic Devices and Structure
Greater Love is a sonnet, a fourteen-line poem that follows a strict rhyme scheme and meter. The poem is divided into two stanzas, with the first eight lines following an ABABABCC rhyme scheme and the final six lines following a CDEDEC rhyme scheme. The structure of the poem is reminiscent of the traditional love sonnet, but the content of the poem subverts this convention by exploring the idea of sacrifice and death.
Owen employs a number of poetic devices throughout the poem, including metaphor, personification, and alliteration. In the first line, he uses the metaphor of a "red rose" to describe the soldiers who have given their lives in battle. The rose, traditionally a symbol of love and beauty, is here used to represent the sacrifice and bloodshed of war. Owen personifies death in the second stanza, describing it as a "hungry mouth" that devours the soldiers who have died. This personification adds a sense of menace and danger to the poem, underscoring the brutality of war.
Themes and Interpretation
At its core, Greater Love is a poem about sacrifice and the ways in which love can manifest in the face of death. Owen explores the idea that the soldiers who have died in battle have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country and their comrades. The use of the red rose metaphor, with its connotations of beauty and love, suggests that the soldiers' sacrifice was an act of love for their fellow soldiers and their country. The poem suggests that this sacrifice is a noble and selfless act, one that should be celebrated and revered.
However, the poem also acknowledges the harsh realities of war and the toll it takes on those who fight in it. The personification of death as a "hungry mouth" suggests that war is a force that devours the lives of those who participate in it. This personification adds a sense of urgency to the poem, underscoring the need for peace and the futility of war.
Another interpretation of the poem is that it is a commentary on the nature of love itself. The use of the traditional love sonnet structure, with its romantic connotations, suggests that the poem is exploring the idea of love in a broader sense. By using the red rose metaphor to describe the soldiers, Owen suggests that love can take many forms, including sacrifice and selflessness. The poem suggests that love is not just an emotion between two individuals, but a force that can inspire acts of great courage and nobility.
Conclusion
Greater Love is a masterful poem that explores the themes of sacrifice and love in the context of war. Owen's use of poetic devices and structure adds depth and complexity to the poem, while his exploration of the soldiers' sacrifice highlights the nobility and selflessness of their actions. The poem is a powerful commentary on the nature of war and the importance of love in the face of death.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Greater Love: A Poem of Sacrifice and Devotion
Wilfred Owen’s Greater Love is a powerful and moving poem that explores the themes of sacrifice, devotion, and the ultimate price of love. Written during the First World War, the poem reflects the poet’s own experiences of the horrors of war and the sacrifices made by soldiers in the name of love and duty. In this analysis, we will explore the meaning and significance of Greater Love, and how it reflects the realities of war and the human condition.
The poem begins with a powerful and evocative image of soldiers lying dead on the battlefield, their faces turned towards the sky. The opening lines, “Red lips are not so red/As the stained stones kissed by the English dead” immediately set the tone for the poem, conveying a sense of loss, sacrifice, and the futility of war. The image of the “stained stones” suggests the bloodshed and violence of war, while the reference to “red lips” implies the beauty and fragility of life. The contrast between the two images highlights the tragic nature of war and the human cost of conflict.
The second stanza of the poem introduces the central theme of sacrifice and devotion. The lines “For love of you, you assayed/The cold, unknown, unmourned, unseized” suggest that the soldiers have given their lives in the name of love and duty, without recognition or reward. The use of the word “assayed” implies a sense of trial or testing, suggesting that the soldiers have been put to the ultimate test of sacrifice and devotion. The repetition of the word “un” in the following lines – “unknown, unmourned, unseized” – reinforces the idea that the soldiers have given everything without recognition or reward.
The third stanza of the poem introduces a new image, that of the soldiers’ “unreturning army.” The phrase suggests a sense of finality and loss, as if the soldiers have gone beyond the reach of the living. The lines “All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave/To save mankind – yourselves you scorned to save” reinforce the theme of sacrifice and devotion, suggesting that the soldiers have given everything they had in order to save others. The use of the word “scorned” implies a sense of rejection or disregard, suggesting that the soldiers have willingly sacrificed themselves for the greater good.
The fourth stanza of the poem introduces a new image, that of the soldiers’ “lonely graves.” The phrase suggests a sense of isolation and abandonment, as if the soldiers have been left to die alone and forgotten. The lines “With the proud, and the profound,/And the sly shades of the fox underground” suggest that the soldiers have been joined in death by other creatures, both noble and ignoble. The use of the word “sly” implies a sense of cunning or deceit, suggesting that death is a great equalizer that does not discriminate between friend or foe.
The final stanza of the poem brings the themes of sacrifice and devotion to a powerful conclusion. The lines “Greater love hath no man than this,/That a man lay down his life for his friends” are a direct reference to the words of Jesus in the Bible, and suggest that the soldiers have given their lives in the name of love and friendship. The use of the word “friends” implies a sense of camaraderie and brotherhood, suggesting that the soldiers have given their lives for each other as much as for their country. The final lines of the poem – “Not that we loved thy children less,/But that we loved our country more” – reinforce the idea that the soldiers have given their lives for a greater cause, but also suggest that their sacrifice was not without love and devotion.
In conclusion, Wilfred Owen’s Greater Love is a powerful and moving poem that explores the themes of sacrifice, devotion, and the ultimate price of love. Through its evocative imagery and powerful language, the poem reflects the realities of war and the human condition, and reminds us of the sacrifices made by soldiers in the name of love and duty. As we reflect on the poem, we are reminded of the importance of sacrifice and devotion, and the ultimate price of love.
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