'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: A Heart-wrenching Ode to Love and Sacrifice
One of the most celebrated and moving poems of the First World War, "Greater Love" by Wilfred Owen delves deep into the themes of love, sacrifice, and death. Written in 1917, during his service in the trenches of France, the poem captures the intense emotions and moral complexities of war through the lens of a tragic love story. With its powerful imagery, lyrical beauty, and profound insights into the human condition, "Greater Love" remains a timeless masterpiece of war poetry, a haunting reminder of the terrible cost of conflict and the enduring power of love.
Context and Background
Wilfred Owen was a British soldier and poet who served in the First World War from 1915 to 1918. He was deeply influenced by his experiences on the front lines, where he witnessed the horrors of trench warfare, the suffering of soldiers, and the futility of war. His poetry reflects his anti-war sentiments, his empathy for the common soldiers, and his critique of the political and military leaders who sent them to their deaths. Owen's poetry is characterized by its stark realism, its vivid imagery, and its emotional intensity, as he sought to convey the full horror of war to his readers back home.
"Greater Love" was written in 1917, when Owen was serving as a second lieutenant in the Manchester Regiment. The poem was inspired by the story of a soldier who sacrificed his life to save his friend from a grenade explosion. The incident happened during the Battle of the Somme, one of the bloodiest battles of the war, which claimed the lives of over one million soldiers. The poem was published posthumously in 1918, after Owen was killed in action, a week before the Armistice.
Analysis and Interpretation
The poem "Greater Love" is a deeply moving and powerful meditation on the nature of love and sacrifice. The poem is structured in four stanzas, each consisting of five lines, and follows a simple ABABA rhyme scheme. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which gives it a musical flow and a sense of urgency. The language of the poem is simple and direct, but the imagery is vivid and striking, as Owen draws on the contrast between life and death, love and war, and selflessness and selfishness.
The poem begins with a paradoxical statement: "Red lips are not so red/ As the stained stones kissed by the English dead." The image of the "red lips" suggests passion, beauty, and life, while the "stained stones" suggest death, decay, and war. The juxtaposition of the two images creates a sense of irony and tension, as Owen challenges the conventional idea of beauty and love. The phrase "kissed by the English dead" suggests that the stones have been marked by the blood of the soldiers who died for their country, and that their sacrifice is the true expression of love.
The second stanza expands on this idea, as Owen describes the love between two soldiers, one of whom sacrifices his life to save the other:
"Under the level winter sky I saw a thousand Christs go by. They sang an idle song and free As they went up to calvary. Careless of eye and coarse of lip, They marched in holiest ecstasy."
The image of a "thousand Christs" suggests the idea of sacrifice and redemption, as the soldiers are likened to Christ who died for the sins of humanity. The phrase "careless of eye and coarse of lip" suggests that the soldiers are ordinary men, not heroes or martyrs, but that their sacrifice is nevertheless holy and noble. The phrase "marched in holiest ecstasy" suggests that the soldiers are not afraid or reluctant to die, but that they embrace their fate with a sense of religious devotion.
The third stanza takes a darker turn, as Owen describes the fate of the soldier who survived the grenade explosion:
"O my dear love, they're very trees But I see them not through my tears. The wide and starry sky, They are black and quivering, The dead leaves fall in the woodland, The night wind cries like a lover, The moon is like a pale Torn fragment of silver."
The use of the second-person address ("O my dear love") suggests that the speaker is addressing his dead lover, and that he is haunted by his memory. The repetition of the phrase "they are" suggests that the speaker is trying to see the world as his lover saw it, but that he is unable to do so because of his grief. The image of the "dead leaves fall in the woodland" suggests the theme of mortality and decay, as the natural world is affected by the war. The image of the "night wind cries like a lover" suggests the idea of loss and longing, as the speaker is unable to find solace in the natural world. The image of the "moon" suggests the idea of beauty and reflection, but also of fragmentation and loss, as the speaker sees only a "torn fragment of silver".
The final stanza concludes the poem with a poignant reminder of the true meaning of love and sacrifice:
"Greater love hath no man than this, That a man lay down his life for his friends."
The use of biblical language ("Greater love hath no man than this") suggests the idea of universal truth and moral imperative. The phrase "that a man lay down his life for his friends" suggests the theme of sacrifice and loyalty, as the soldier who died for his friend exemplifies the true meaning of love. The use of the word "friends" suggests that the poem is not only about romantic love, but about the bonds of comradeship and brotherhood that are forged in times of war.
Themes and Significance
The poem "Greater Love" explores several themes that are central to Wilfred Owen's war poetry. The theme of love is the most prominent, as the poem celebrates the selflessness and sacrifice of the soldier who died for his friend. The poem challenges the conventional idea of beauty and love, as it suggests that true love is not about physical attraction or sentimentality, but about loyalty and devotion. The poem also suggests that love can be found in unexpected places, such as the battlefield, where the bonds of comradeship and brotherhood are tested and strengthened.
The theme of war is also central to the poem, as it portrays the horrors and moral complexities of conflict. The poem challenges the idea of heroism and glory, as it portrays the soldiers as ordinary men who are caught up in a brutal and senseless war. The poem also suggests that war has a profound effect on the natural world, as it disrupts the cycles of life and death and causes widespread destruction and devastation.
The theme of death is pervasive throughout the poem, as it portrays the soldiers as facing imminent death and the speaker as grieving the loss of his lover. The poem challenges the idea of immortality and the afterlife, as it suggests that death is final and irreversible. The poem also suggests that death can be both beautiful and terrible, as it marks the sacrifice of the soldiers and the mourning of the survivors.
Conclusion
"Greater Love" is a masterpiece of war poetry that captures the intense emotions and moral complexities of the First World War. The poem is a powerful meditation on the themes of love, sacrifice, and death, and challenges the conventional ideas of beauty and heroism. The poem is written with a lyrical beauty and a poignant insight into the human condition, and remains a timeless reminder of the terrible cost of war and the enduring power of love.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Greater Love: An Analysis of Wilfred Owen’s Classic Poem
Wilfred Owen, one of the most celebrated war poets of the 20th century, wrote Greater Love during World War I. The poem is a powerful and moving tribute to the selflessness and sacrifice of soldiers who gave their lives for their country. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and language of Greater Love, and examine how Owen uses these elements to convey his message.
Themes
The central theme of Greater Love is the idea of sacrificial love. Owen uses the metaphor of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to illustrate the ultimate act of love and selflessness. He compares this to the sacrifice made by soldiers who give their lives for their country. The poem is a tribute to these soldiers, who are willing to lay down their lives for a cause greater than themselves.
Another theme that runs through the poem is the idea of death. Owen portrays death as a release from the pain and suffering of war. He suggests that death is not something to be feared, but rather a natural part of the cycle of life. This is evident in the lines “And life, not death, shall be the victor then” and “And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die!”
Structure
Greater Love is a sonnet, a form of poetry that originated in Italy in the 13th century. The sonnet is a 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and structure. Owen’s sonnet follows the traditional structure of an Italian sonnet, with an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines). The rhyme scheme is ABBA ABBA CDCDCD.
The poem is divided into two parts, with the octave presenting the idea of sacrificial love and the sestet exploring the theme of death. The octave is a series of questions that Owen asks about the nature of love and sacrifice. The sestet is a response to these questions, with Owen suggesting that death is not something to be feared, but rather a release from the pain and suffering of war.
Language
Owen’s use of language in Greater Love is powerful and evocative. He uses metaphors and imagery to convey his message. The metaphor of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is used to illustrate the ultimate act of love and selflessness. Owen compares this to the sacrifice made by soldiers who give their lives for their country.
The language in the poem is also very emotive. Owen uses words like “love,” “sacrifice,” and “death” to evoke strong emotions in the reader. He also uses repetition to reinforce his message. The repetition of the word “love” in the first line of the poem emphasizes the importance of this theme.
Conclusion
Greater Love is a powerful and moving tribute to the selflessness and sacrifice of soldiers who gave their lives for their country. The poem is a testament to the enduring power of love and the ultimate sacrifice that some are willing to make for a cause greater than themselves. Owen’s use of language, structure, and themes all work together to create a powerful and emotive poem that continues to resonate with readers today.
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