'Insensibility' by Wilfred Owen
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I
Happy are men who yet before they are killed
Can let their veins run cold.
Whom no compassion fleers
Or makes their feet
Sore on the alleys cobbled with their brothers.
The front line withers,
But they are troops who fade, not flowers
For poets' tearful fooling:
Men, gaps for filling
Losses who might have fought
Longer; but no one bothers.
II
And some cease feeling
Even themselves or for themselves.
Dullness best solves
The tease and doubt of shelling,
And Chance's strange arithmetic
Comes simpler than the reckoning of their shilling.
They keep no check on Armies' decimation.
III
Happy are these who lose imagination:
They have enough to carry with ammunition.
Their spirit drags no pack.
Their old wounds save with cold can not more ache.
Having seen all things red,
Their eyes are rid
Of the hurt of the colour of blood for ever.
And terror's first constriction over,
Their hearts remain small drawn.
Their senses in some scorching cautery of battle
Now long since ironed,
Can laugh among the dying, unconcerned.
IV
Happy the soldier home, with not a notion
How somewhere, every dawn, some men attack,
And many sighs are drained.
Happy the lad whose mind was never trained:
His days are worth forgetting more than not.
He sings along the march
Which we march taciturn, because of dusk,
The long, forlorn, relentless trend
From larger day to huger night.
V
We wise, who with a thought besmirch
Blood over all our soul,
How should we see our task
But through his blunt and lashless eyes?
Alive, he is not vital overmuch;
Dying, not mortal overmuch;
Nor sad, nor proud,
Nor curious at all.
He cannot tell
Old men's placidity from his.
VI
But cursed are dullards whom no cannon stuns,
That they should be as stones.
Wretched are they, and mean
With paucity that never was simplicity.
By choice they made themselves immune
To pity and whatever mourns in man
Before the last sea and the hapless stars;
Whatever mourns when many leave these shores;
Whatever shares
The eternal reciprocity of tears.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Insensibility by Wilfred Owen: A Critical Analysis
Are you familiar with Wilfred Owen's poem, Insensibility? If not, you're in for a treat. This classic poem is a powerful commentary on the dehumanization of soldiers during World War I. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I'll be taking a deep dive into the themes, symbols, and language of this haunting work.
Background and Context
Before we begin, let's talk a bit about the historical context of Insensibility. Wilfred Owen was a British soldier who fought in World War I. He experienced firsthand the horrors of trench warfare and witnessed the devastating effects of chemical weapons. He was also deeply affected by the suffering of his fellow soldiers and the senseless loss of life on both sides of the conflict.
Insensibility was written in 1917, during Owen's time at Craiglockhart War Hospital in Edinburgh. This was a military hospital where soldiers suffering from shell shock and other psychological injuries were treated. It's likely that Owen was inspired to write this poem after witnessing the emotional numbness and detachment that many of the soldiers displayed as a result of their experiences on the front lines.
Themes
Insensibility is a complex poem that touches on several themes, including:
Dehumanization
One of the central themes of the poem is the dehumanization of soldiers. Owen uses a variety of metaphors and symbols to illustrate how the war has stripped these men of their humanity. For example, in the first stanza, he compares the soldiers to "trees in winter" that have lost their leaves and "stand like desperate, huddled sheep." This image suggests that the soldiers have been reduced to mere objects, devoid of any individuality or agency.
In the second stanza, Owen explores the idea of emotional numbness. He describes the soldiers as being "numb as a smashed arm" and "oblivious to music or to beauty." This suggests that the trauma of war has desensitized them to the world around them, leaving them unable to experience joy or pleasure.
Sacrifice
Another theme that runs throughout the poem is sacrifice. Owen grapples with the idea of whether or not the sacrifices that soldiers make in war are worth it. In the second stanza, he writes, "Happy are men who yet before they are killed / Can let their veins run cold." This suggests that there is a certain nobility in dying for a cause you believe in, even if it means sacrificing your own life.
However, as the poem progresses, Owen becomes more critical of the idea of sacrifice. In the third stanza, he asks, "What are these men / Born to be sacrificed, / All their dreadnought destinies?" This suggests that the soldiers are not viewed as individual human beings with their own hopes and dreams, but rather as expendable resources to be used for the sake of the war effort.
Death and Remembrance
Finally, Insensibility explores the themes of death and remembrance. Owen suggests that the soldiers who have died in the war have been forgotten, both by their fellow soldiers and by society as a whole. In the final stanza, he writes, "And no fears / Of Fear came yet." This suggests that the memory of those who have died has been erased, and that they have been replaced by a generation of soldiers who are no longer capable of feeling fear.
Symbols
In addition to themes, Insensibility also contains a number of powerful symbols that help to reinforce Owen's message. Here are a few of the most significant symbols in the poem:
Trees
Throughout the poem, Owen uses trees to represent the soldiers. In the first stanza, he describes them as being "like trees in winter" that have lost their leaves and are "barren." This suggests that the soldiers have been stripped of their individuality and are now mere objects, much like the trees in winter.
Music and Beauty
In the second stanza, Owen suggests that the soldiers are no longer capable of experiencing joy or pleasure. He describes them as being "oblivious to music or to beauty." This suggests that the trauma of war has desensitized them to the world around them, leaving them unable to appreciate the things that make life worth living.
Blood
Blood is a recurring image in Insensibility, and is used to represent both sacrifice and death. In the second stanza, Owen writes, "Happy are men who yet before they are killed / Can let their veins run cold." This suggests that there is a certain nobility in dying for a cause you believe in, even if it means sacrificing your own life.
Language and Form
Finally, let's take a closer look at the language and form of Insensibility. Owen is a master of language, and his use of imagery and metaphor is particularly powerful in this poem. Here are a few examples of his most effective language choices:
Repetition
Throughout the poem, Owen uses repetition to reinforce his message. For example, in the second stanza, he repeats the phrase "numb as a smashed arm" to emphasize the emotional numbness that the soldiers are experiencing.
Metaphor
As I mentioned earlier, Owen uses metaphor to great effect in Insensibility. One of the most striking examples is his comparison of the soldiers to "trees in winter." This image is particularly effective because it suggests that the soldiers have been stripped of their individuality and are now mere objects.
Imagery
Owen's use of imagery is also particularly powerful in this poem. For example, in the second stanza, he describes the soldiers as being "oblivious to music or to beauty." This image is particularly effective because it suggests that the trauma of war has desensitized them to the world around them, leaving them unable to appreciate the things that make life worth living.
Conclusion
Insensibility is a powerful work of poetry that continues to resonate with readers today. Through his use of language, imagery, and metaphor, Wilfred Owen offers a searing commentary on the dehumanization of soldiers during World War I. By exploring themes of sacrifice, death, and remembrance, Owen invites us to reflect on the true cost of war, and the toll it takes on those who fight it.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Insensibility: An Analysis of Wilfred Owen's Classic Poem
Wilfred Owen is one of the most celebrated war poets of the 20th century. His works are known for their vivid imagery, powerful emotions, and unflinching portrayal of the horrors of war. One of his most famous poems is Insensibility, which was written in 1917 during World War I. In this poem, Owen explores the theme of emotional numbness and the psychological effects of war on soldiers. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail.
Insensibility is a long poem consisting of five stanzas, each with eight lines. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which gives it a rhythmic and musical quality. The poem begins with a description of soldiers who have become emotionally numb to the horrors of war. Owen writes:
Happy are men who yet before they are killed Can let their veins run cold. Whom no compassion fleers Or makes their feet Sore on the alleys cobbled with their brothers. The front line withers, But they are troops who fade, not flowers For poets' tearful fooling.
In these lines, Owen describes soldiers who have become desensitized to the suffering around them. They are "happy" because they no longer feel the pain and fear that comes with war. They are "insensible" to the suffering of their fellow soldiers and the destruction of their surroundings. Owen uses the metaphor of "alleys cobbled with their brothers" to describe the soldiers who have died in battle. The soldiers who are still alive are "troops who fade, not flowers," meaning that they are slowly losing their humanity and becoming like machines.
In the second stanza, Owen contrasts the soldiers who are numb to the suffering of war with those who are still capable of feeling emotions. He writes:
Happy are these who lose imagination: They have enough to carry with ammunition. Their spirit drags no pack. Their old wounds, save with cold, can not more ache. Having seen all things red, Their eyes are rid Of the hurt of the colour of blood for ever.
Here, Owen describes soldiers who have lost their imagination and are focused solely on the practical aspects of war, such as carrying ammunition. These soldiers are still capable of feeling pain, but their wounds no longer "ache" because they have become numb to the pain. Owen uses the metaphor of "all things red" to describe the soldiers who have seen too much bloodshed. These soldiers are no longer affected by the sight of blood and have become emotionally detached from the violence around them.
In the third stanza, Owen explores the idea of soldiers who have become so numb to the suffering of war that they are no longer capable of feeling any emotions. He writes:
And when the soldier brags he wars on Death, Or cries aloud, invoking Life or Breath, Some secondary kindred there convey To him the sickness of a heart unbreathed. He's lost his colour very far from here, Poured it down shell-holes till the veins ran dry, Proud of his war-conquests and his scars, He's dying now.
Here, Owen describes a soldier who boasts about his bravery and his willingness to fight against death. However, this soldier has become so numb to the suffering of war that he no longer feels any emotions. He has lost his "colour" and has poured it down "shell-holes" until his veins ran dry. This soldier is proud of his scars and his war-conquests, but he is dying inside.
In the fourth stanza, Owen explores the idea of soldiers who have become so numb to the suffering of war that they are no longer capable of feeling any emotions. He writes:
I am the enemy you killed, my friend. I knew you in this dark: for so you frowned Yesterday through me as you jabbed and killed. I parried; but my hands were loath and cold. Let us sleep now . . ."
Here, Owen uses the voice of a dead soldier to speak to his killer. The dead soldier tells his killer that they were once friends, but now he is the enemy that has been killed. The dead soldier remembers how his killer looked at him with a frown before he was killed. The dead soldier tried to defend himself, but his hands were "loath and cold." The dead soldier then asks his killer to let them both rest in peace.
In the final stanza, Owen concludes the poem by reflecting on the psychological effects of war on soldiers. He writes:
And people who do not know that war is hell, Thinking that simple men go out and die, Will never feel the like again; not tell Of wars that scar with fire and battering. Men who went out to battle, grim and glad; Children, with eyes that hate you, broken and mad.
Here, Owen reflects on the fact that people who have not experienced war will never truly understand the psychological effects of war on soldiers. He describes soldiers who went out to battle "grim and glad," meaning that they were both scared and excited about the prospect of fighting. He also describes children who have been scarred by war and now hate the soldiers who have caused them so much pain.
In conclusion, Insensibility is a powerful poem that explores the theme of emotional numbness and the psychological effects of war on soldiers. Owen uses vivid imagery and powerful metaphors to describe soldiers who have become desensitized to the suffering of war. He also reflects on the fact that people who have not experienced war will never truly understand the psychological effects of war on soldiers. This poem is a testament to the bravery and sacrifice of soldiers, but it also serves as a warning about the devastating effects of war on the human psyche.
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