Poetry Analysis Phrases

The poem is not anti-war as the second half suggests that young men may gain from the experience – if they face it honestly.
The repetition of the word “few” emphasises exactly how many have been lost in the war and creates a melancholy end to the poem.
Using the phrase “fat civilians” emphasises not only their lack of health but “civilians” implies that they will never fight.
The use of the words “so brave” makes us feel sympathy and pity for the woman as the audience know she is being lied to.
The young men’s innocence is emphasised by comparing their send-off to going to a wedding.
This makes the soldier sound isolated by the use of “a place apart” and almost distances him from the rest of his soldiers.
Describing the boys as “smooth-cheeked and golden” is completely contrasted by “food for shells and guns” which makes the use of the word “golden" seem almost ironic
“And all because his brother had gone west”. The use of the phase “all because” makes the death sound like an everyday occurrence and the euphemism “gone west” adds to this.
The use of the adjective “still” makes the audience realise that the man are dying without cause just as the leaves are falling without a breeze.
The use of “a-happening” makes it sound like the poet is talking to you in a conversational tone, which makes you feel sympathetic towards his feelings.
This line is ironic as it shows how the men never wanted to be soldiers and yet they were promoted because they survived.
The repetition of “row” emphasises just how many soldiers have died in the war which contrasts the growing of the poppies.
Comparing the black thorn flowers to “snow” is almost indicating that the world has turned cold since her lover’s death.
The use of anaphora in the word “perhaps” makes the audience feel that what the poet suggests in the poem will never happen.
The repetition used in the quote emphasises her confidence and reassurance but also that she is unwilling to accept this. The use of “Old” at the beginning of the line highlights the fact that the merchant is unlikely to have any more children and we sympathise with him.
The caesura (pause) after the word “Exposed” highlights the fact that the soldiers don’t stand a chance.
The repetition of “no” highlights that the soldiers were not expecting a battle to be started like this.
There is irony on this line as the solider appears to have lost his faith although previously he spoke about meeting his victim in the afterlife.
The poem remains in a rigid rhyme scheme, perhaps reflecting how the soldiers unwittingly conformed in the end by dying..
Calling the soldiers “seed” indicates that the soldiers who are dying are young.
The capitalisation of “Pride” indicates that Owen felt that the pride of the governments was the blame for the war.