'Exposure' by Wilfred Owen
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I
1 Our brains ache, in the merciless iced east winds that knife us ...
2 Wearied we keep awake because the night is silent ...
3 Low drooping flares confuse our memory of the salient ...
4 Worried by silence, sentries whisper, curious, nervous,
5But nothing happens.
6 Watching, we hear the mad gusts tugging on the wire.
7 Like twitching agonies of men among its brambles.
8 Northward incessantly, the flickering gunnery rumbles,
9 Far off, like a dull rumour of some other war.
10What are we doing here?
11 The poignant misery of dawn begins to grow ...
12 We only know war lasts, rain soaks, and clouds sag stormy.
13 Dawn massing in the east her melancholy army
14 Attacks once more in ranks on shivering ranks of gray,
15But nothing happens.
16 Sudden successive flights of bullets streak the silence.
17 Less deadly than the air that shudders black with snow,
18 With sidelong flowing flakes that flock, pause and renew,
19 We watch them wandering up and down the wind's nonchalance,
20But nothing happens.
II
21 Pale flakes with lingering stealth come feeling for our faces--
22 We cringe in holes, back on forgotten dreams, and stare, snow-dazed,
23 Deep into grassier ditches. So we drowse, sun-dozed,
24 Littered with blossoms trickling where the blackbird fusses.
25Is it that we are dying?
26 Slowly our ghosts drag home: glimpsing the sunk fires glozed
27 With crusted dark-red jewels; crickets jingle there;
28 For hours the innocent mice rejoice: the house is theirs;
29 Shutters and doors all closed: on us the doors are closed--
30We turn back to our dying.
31 Since we believe not otherwise can kind fires burn;
32 Now ever suns smile true on child, or field, or fruit.
33 For God's invincible spring our love is made afraid;
34 Therefore, not loath, we lie out here; therefore were born,
35For love of God seems dying.
36 To-night, His frost will fasten on this mud and us,
37 Shrivelling many hands and puckering foreheads crisp.
38 The burying-party, picks and shovels in their shaking grasp,
39 Pause over half-known faces. All their eyes are ice,
40But nothing happens.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Exposure by Wilfred Owen: A Poem of Despair and Hope
Wilfred Owen's poem "Exposure" is one of his most powerful and poignant works, written in response to his experiences as a soldier during World War I. The poem conveys the sense of despair and hopelessness felt by soldiers in the trenches, as they faced constant exposure to the elements, as well as to the enemy's gunfire.
Through his use of vivid sensory imagery, metaphors, and symbolism, Owen captures the harsh realities of war, and the psychological toll it takes on those who fight it. In this essay, I will explore the themes, imagery, and language in "Exposure", and how they contribute to its overall meaning.
Themes
The main theme of "Exposure" is the futility of war, and its devastating effects on the human psyche. Owen portrays the soldiers as being helpless against the forces of nature, as they are constantly exposed to the harsh winter weather and the enemy's gunfire. The poem begins with the line "Our brains ache, in the merciless iced east winds that knive us", immediately setting the tone for the poem's bleak outlook.
The soldiers are depicted as being cut off from the rest of the world, isolated and alone in their misery. They are shown to be waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever does. The repetition of the phrase "But nothing happens" throughout the poem emphasizes this sense of hopelessness and despair.
The poem also explores the theme of death, and the soldiers' acceptance of it. The soldiers are shown to be resigned to their fate, as they have no control over their circumstances. The line "Slowly our ghosts drag home: glimpsing the sunk fires, glozed with crusted dark-red jewels" suggests that death is the only escape from their suffering.
Imagery
Owen's use of sensory imagery in "Exposure" is especially effective in conveying the soldiers' experiences. He describes the harsh winter weather in vivid detail, using metaphors to bring it to life. The east wind is described as "merciless" and "kniving", while the snow is "pale flakes with fingering stealth come feeling for our faces". These descriptions create a sense of danger and unease, and help the reader to understand the soldiers' struggle to survive in such conditions.
The imagery in the second half of the poem shifts from the physical to the psychological. Owen uses symbolism to represent the soldiers' mental state, as they become more and more isolated and detached from reality. The line "Worried by silence, sentries whisper, curious, nervous" suggests a growing paranoia, as the soldiers become more aware of the danger around them.
The poem's final lines are especially powerful in their use of imagery. The soldiers are shown to be "groping along the tunnel, step by step", suggesting a sense of blindness and confusion. The line "But nothing happens" is repeated for the final time, emphasizing the soldiers' sense of hopelessness and despair.
Language
Owen's use of language in "Exposure" is both simple and powerful. He uses short, sharp sentences to create a sense of urgency and immediacy. The repetition of certain phrases, such as "But nothing happens", "we only know war lasts" and "what are we doing here?" emphasizes the soldiers' frustration and despair.
The poem's language also reflects the soldiers' mental state, as they become more and more detached from reality. The use of the phrase "brain-sick" to describe the soldiers' mental state is particularly effective, as it suggests a sense of madness and confusion.
Owen's use of alliteration and assonance throughout the poem creates a sense of rhythm and musicality. The repetition of the "s" sound in "sentinels whisper" and "silence sentries" adds to the sense of unease and tension in the poem.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Wilfred Owen's poem "Exposure" is a powerful and poignant work that captures the sense of despair and hopelessness felt by soldiers during World War I. Through his use of vivid sensory imagery, metaphors, and symbolism, Owen conveys the harsh realities of war, and the psychological toll it takes on those who fight it.
The poem's themes of the futility of war and the soldiers' acceptance of death are explored through its powerful imagery and language. The repetition of certain phrases, the use of alliteration and assonance, and Owen's skillful use of symbolism all contribute to the poem's overall meaning.
While "Exposure" is a work of great despair, it also offers a glimmer of hope. The soldiers may be isolated and alone in their suffering, but they are still human, still capable of feeling and of hope. The final lines of the poem suggest that there is still the possibility of escape, even if it is only through death. As such, "Exposure" is a poem of both despair and hope, a testament to the human spirit in times of great adversity.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry Exposure: An Analysis of Wilfred Owen's Masterpiece
Wilfred Owen's Poetry Exposure is a masterpiece of war poetry that captures the essence of the horrors of war. The poem is a reflection of the author's personal experiences during World War I, where he served as a soldier. The poem is a powerful commentary on the futility of war and the suffering it inflicts on soldiers. In this article, we will analyze the poem and explore its themes, imagery, and language.
The poem is structured in four stanzas, each consisting of six lines. The poem is written in free verse, which gives the author the freedom to express his thoughts and emotions without the constraints of rhyme and meter. The poem's title, Poetry Exposure, is a play on words, as it refers to both the exposure of the soldiers to the harsh realities of war and the exposure of the poet's feelings through his poetry.
The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The stanza begins with the line "Our brains ache, in the merciless iced east winds that knife us." The use of the word "merciless" emphasizes the harshness of the environment in which the soldiers find themselves. The phrase "iced east winds" creates an image of a cold and unforgiving landscape. The word "knife" is a powerful metaphor that suggests the soldiers are being attacked by the elements.
The second stanza of the poem shifts the focus to the soldiers' mental state. The stanza begins with the line "Wearied we keep awake because the night is silent." The use of the word "wearied" suggests that the soldiers are exhausted both physically and mentally. The phrase "keep awake" suggests that the soldiers are afraid to sleep because of the nightmares that haunt them. The line "Low drooping flares confuse our memory of the salient" suggests that the soldiers are disoriented and confused by the constant bombardment of flares.
The third stanza of the poem focuses on the soldiers' emotional state. The stanza begins with the line "Worried by silence, sentries whisper, curious, nervous." The use of the word "worried" suggests that the soldiers are anxious and afraid. The phrase "sentries whisper" creates an image of soldiers who are afraid to speak out loud. The line "But nothing happens" suggests that the soldiers are waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever does.
The fourth and final stanza of the poem is the most powerful. The stanza begins with the line "Watching, we hear the mad gusts tugging on the wire." The use of the word "mad" suggests that the soldiers are losing their minds. The phrase "tugging on the wire" creates an image of soldiers who are trapped and unable to escape. The line "Like twitching agonies of men among its brambles" is a powerful metaphor that suggests that the soldiers are trapped like animals in a thicket.
The poem's themes are centered around the futility of war and the suffering it inflicts on soldiers. The poem suggests that war is a pointless and futile endeavor that only leads to death and destruction. The poem also suggests that soldiers are victims of war and that they suffer both physically and mentally. The poem's imagery is powerful and evocative, creating vivid images of the soldiers' experiences.
The poem's language is also powerful and evocative. The use of words like "merciless," "knife," and "mad" create a sense of danger and urgency. The use of metaphors like "twitching agonies" and "iced east winds" create vivid images that stay with the reader long after they have finished reading the poem. The poem's language is also simple and direct, making it accessible to a wide audience.
In conclusion, Poetry Exposure is a masterpiece of war poetry that captures the essence of the horrors of war. The poem is a powerful commentary on the futility of war and the suffering it inflicts on soldiers. The poem's themes, imagery, and language are all powerful and evocative, creating a vivid picture of the soldiers' experiences. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the human experience and to convey complex emotions and ideas.
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