'On Seeing A Piece Of Our Artillery Brought Into Action' by Wilfred Owen

AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay


Be slowly lifted up, thou long black arm,
Great gun towering towards Heaven, about to curse;
Sway steep against them, and for years rehearse
Huge imprecations like a blasting charm!
Reach at that Arrogance which needs thy harm,
And beat it down before its sins grow worse;
Spend our resentment, cannon,--yea, disburse
Our gold in shapes of flame, our breaths in storm.

Yet, for men's sakes whom thy vast malison
Must wither innocent of enmity,
Be not withdrawn, dark arm, thy spoilure done,
Safe to the bosom of our prosperity.
But when thy spell be cast complete and whole,
May God curse thee, and cut thee from our soul!

Editor 1 Interpretation

On Seeing A Piece of Our Artillery Brought Into Action by Wilfred Owen: A Critical Analysis

Oh, Wilfred Owen! What a genius you were! Your poetry sends chills down the spine of everyone who reads it. Your poems are not just mere words but an embodiment of emotions and experiences. One such masterpiece is "On Seeing A Piece Of Our Artillery Brought Into Action." This poem is a reflection of the horrors of war and the emotional trauma it inflicts upon the soldiers. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve into the themes, motifs, language, and imagery of the poem.

Themes

The central theme of the poem is the horrors of war. Owen highlights the destruction and devastation caused by war through the use of artillery. The poem is a commentary on the impact of war on humanity and how it destroys everything in its path. Owen effectively portrays the destructive nature of war through the imagery used in the poem. He also emphasizes the emotional trauma that war inflicts on soldiers. The poem is a condemnation of war and a call for peace.

Another important theme in the poem is the futility of war. Owen questions the purpose of war and the reasons for which soldiers are sent to fight. He suggests that war is pointless and only leads to destruction and devastation. The poem is a critique of the political and military leaders who send young men to fight and die for a cause they do not understand.

Motifs

One of the most prominent motifs in the poem is the use of personification. Owen personifies the artillery, describing it as a "savage" and "brute" beast. This motif effectively highlights the destructive nature of war and the impact it has on both humans and the environment. The use of personification also adds a sense of foreboding to the poem, as if the artillery is a living being that is about to unleash its destructive power.

Another important motif in the poem is the use of contrast. Owen contrasts the beauty of the natural world with the destruction caused by war. The contrast between the "calm" and "serene" beauty of the landscape and the "fierce" and "savage" artillery highlights the senseless destruction caused by war. The use of contrast also adds a sense of irony to the poem, as the beauty of the natural world is juxtaposed with the destruction caused by man.

Language

The language used in the poem is simple yet powerful. Owen uses vivid imagery to effectively convey the horrors of war. He uses words such as "savage," "fierce," and "brute" to describe the artillery, effectively highlighting its destructive nature. The language used in the poem is also very sensory, with the reader able to imagine the sights, sounds, and smells of the battlefield.

Owen also uses repetition in the poem to great effect. The repetition of the word "beauty" in the first stanza emphasizes the contrast between the beauty of the natural world and the destruction caused by war. The repetition of the phrase "upreared its head" in the second stanza adds to the sense of foreboding and the imagery of the artillery as a living beast.

Imagery

The imagery used in the poem is powerful and vivid, effectively conveying the horrors of war. Owen uses a variety of sensory images to create a vivid picture of the battlefield. The use of the word "thunder" to describe the sound of the artillery effectively conveys the sense of power and destruction. The use of the phrase "upreared its head" to describe the artillery emerging from the landscape adds to the sense of foreboding and the imagery of the artillery as a living beast.

The contrast between the beauty of the natural world and the destruction caused by war is also conveyed through imagery. The description of the "calm" and "serene" landscape in the first stanza is a stark contrast to the "savage" and "fierce" artillery in the second stanza. The use of imagery effectively highlights the senseless destruction caused by war.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "On Seeing A Piece Of Our Artillery Brought Into Action" is a powerful and poignant poem that effectively conveys the horrors of war. Through the use of themes, motifs, language, and imagery, Wilfred Owen effectively highlights the emotional trauma and the devastating impact of war on humanity. The poem is a critique of war and a call for peace. Owen's poetry is a reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of striving for peace.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

On Seeing A Piece Of Our Artillery Brought Into Action: A Poem Analysis

Wilfred Owen, one of the most celebrated war poets of the 20th century, wrote the poem "On Seeing A Piece Of Our Artillery Brought Into Action" during World War I. The poem is a vivid description of the horrors of war and the impact it has on soldiers. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, literary devices, and historical context of the poem.

The poem begins with the speaker describing the arrival of a piece of artillery on the battlefield. The speaker is struck by the power and size of the weapon, and the way it dominates the landscape. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as the speaker is filled with a sense of awe and dread at the sight of the weapon:

"Be slowly lifted up, thou long black arm, Great gun towering towards Heaven, about to curse; Sway steep against them, and for years rehearse Huge imprecations like a blasting charm!"

The use of the word "curse" in the second line is particularly striking, as it suggests that the weapon is not just a tool of war, but a malevolent force that will bring destruction and death to those it is aimed at. The reference to "imprecations" in the fourth line reinforces this idea, as it suggests that the weapon is imbued with a kind of dark magic that will bring about the downfall of the enemy.

The second stanza continues this theme, as the speaker describes the way the weapon is loaded and fired:

"Reach at that Arrogance which needs thy harm, And beat it down before its sins grow worse; Spend our resentment, cannon, yea, disburse Our gold in shapes of flame, our breaths in storms."

Here, the speaker is addressing the weapon directly, urging it to destroy the enemy and bring an end to their "Arrogance." The use of the word "disburse" in the third line is particularly interesting, as it suggests that the cost of war is not just measured in human lives, but also in the resources that are expended in the process. The final line, with its reference to "breaths in storms," is a powerful image that suggests the destructive power of the weapon.

The third stanza takes a different turn, as the speaker reflects on the human cost of war:

"Come, let us learn their lesson, who have seen War's desolation, through the stained glass, sweet, Like a quaint picture, where the sunbeams greet Our eyes, and guns burst sullenly between."

Here, the speaker is acknowledging the fact that war is not just a matter of weapons and tactics, but also a deeply human experience that leaves scars on those who survive it. The reference to "stained glass" in the second line is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the speaker is looking back on the war from a distance, with a sense of nostalgia for a time before the conflict began. The final line, with its reference to "guns burst sullenly between," is a reminder that even in the midst of beauty and tranquility, the horrors of war are never far away.

The final stanza brings the poem to a close, as the speaker reflects on the futility of war:

"Smile, God, upon this year's harvest, and be gay, That in the veins of men flows blood like wine; And to thy drunkenness, let there be mine That I, too, rage and shout and kill and slay."

Here, the speaker is addressing God directly, asking for his blessing on the harvest and the blood that is shed in war. The reference to "blood like wine" is a powerful image that suggests that war is not just a matter of violence and destruction, but also a kind of intoxication that can lead men to do terrible things. The final line, with its reference to "rage and shout and kill and slay," is a reminder that war is ultimately a futile and destructive enterprise that brings nothing but pain and suffering to those who participate in it.

In terms of literary devices, the poem is notable for its use of vivid imagery and powerful metaphors. The reference to the weapon as a "long black arm" in the first line is a particularly striking image, as it suggests that the weapon is not just a tool of war, but a kind of monstrous creature that has come to life. The use of the word "curse" in the second line is also a powerful metaphor, as it suggests that the weapon is not just a physical object, but a malevolent force that will bring destruction and death to those it is aimed at.

The historical context of the poem is also important, as it was written during World War I, a conflict that saw some of the most brutal and devastating battles in human history. The poem reflects the sense of horror and despair that many soldiers felt during the war, as they were confronted with the reality of modern warfare and the destructive power of new weapons like the artillery piece described in the poem.

In conclusion, "On Seeing A Piece Of Our Artillery Brought Into Action" is a powerful and evocative poem that captures the horror and futility of war. Through its vivid imagery and powerful metaphors, the poem conveys a sense of awe and dread at the destructive power of modern weapons, while also reflecting on the human cost of war and the futility of violence as a means of resolving conflicts. As such, it remains a powerful reminder of the need for peace and understanding in a world that is all too often torn apart by war and conflict.

Editor Recommended Sites

Cloud Consulting - Cloud Consulting DFW & Cloud Consulting Southlake, Westlake. AWS, GCP: Ex-Google Cloud consulting advice and help from the experts. AWS and GCP
Flutter Guide: Learn to program in flutter to make mobile applications quickly
Deep Graphs: Learn Graph databases machine learning, RNNs, CNNs, Generative AI
ML SQL: Machine Learning from SQL like in Bigquery SQL and PostgresML. SQL generative large language model generation
Pert Chart App: Generate pert charts and find the critical paths

Recommended Similar Analysis

A Child Asleep by Elizabeth Barrett Browning analysis
Nature rarer uses yellow by Emily Dickinson analysis
Her Eyes are Wild by William Wordsworth analysis
Love's Usury by John Donne analysis
Sonnet 43: When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see by William Shakespeare analysis
Now Close The Windows by Robert Frost analysis
Thistles by Ted Hughes analysis
Cargoes by John Masefield analysis
Long-Legged Fly by William Butler Yeats analysis
If I can stop one Heart from breaking by Emily Dickinson analysis