Poem and Analysis of Anthem for Doomed Youth By Wilfred Owen

Also Read

 (toc) #title= (Table of Content)

General Introduction

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" is a war poem by Wilfred Owen, written during World War I. Owen, a soldier himself, provides a harrowing depiction of the young men who perished on the battlefield, contrasting their tragic deaths with the traditional rites of mourning. The poem employs vivid imagery and a somber tone to critique the futility of war and the hollow nature of its rituals.

Anthem for Doomed Youth By Wilfred Owen

What passingbells for these who die as cattle?

      — Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

      Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; 

      Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

      And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?

      Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

      The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk a drawingdown of blinds.

 Analysis of "Anthem for Doomed Youth" by Wilfred Owen

 Title

The title "Anthem for Doomed Youth" juxtaposes the solemnity and reverence typically associated with an anthem against the grim fate of young soldiers destined to die. The word "doomed" emphasizes their inevitable death, while "youth" highlights their lost potential and innocence.

 Stanza by Stanza Analysis

First Stanza:

 Lines 12: "What passingbells for these who die as cattle? / — Only the monstrous anger of the guns."  

  The simile "die as cattle" dehumanizes the soldiers, likening their deaths to mass slaughter. The "passingbells," typically used in funerals to honor the deceased, are replaced by the "monstrous anger of the guns," underscoring the brutal and impersonal nature of their deaths.

 Lines 34: "Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle / Can patter out their hasty orisons."  

  The alliteration in "stuttering rifles' rapid rattle" mimics the sound of gunfire, which serves as the soldiers' "hasty orisons" (prayers), further highlighting the rushed and unceremonious end to their lives.

 Lines 56: "No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; / Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—"  

  Traditional religious rites ("prayers nor bells") are dismissed as "mockeries" in the face of war's brutality. The only "choirs" are the sounds of warfare, emphasizing the stark and grim reality of their passing.

 Lines 78: "The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; / And bugles calling for them from sad shires."  

  The imagery of "shrill, demented choirs" and "wailing shells" evokes a sense of chaos and despair. The "bugles" traditionally used to signal military honors now call out in "sad shires," referencing the widespread mourning across the soldiers' homelands.

Second Stanza:

 Lines 910: "What candles may be held to speed them all? / Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes"  

  The "candles" symbolize the light of remembrance. Rather than physical candles, the "holy glimmers" in the "eyes" of boys reflect the sorrow and memory of the fallen, suggesting an internalized mourning.

 Lines 1112: "Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. / The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;"  

  The "holy glimmers" in the eyes of mourners stand in for traditional funeral candles. The "pallor of girls' brows" acts as their "pall" (funeral covering), indicating the deep emotional impact and mourning felt by those left behind.

 Lines 1314: "Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, / And each slow dusk a drawingdown of blinds."  

  Instead of funeral flowers, "the tenderness of patient minds" honors the dead. The "slow dusk" and "drawingdown of blinds" metaphorically represent the end of their lives and the gradual acceptance of their loss by those who grieve.

 Themes

1. Futility and Horror of War: The poem conveys the senselessness of war, depicted through the dehumanizing death of soldiers, likened to cattle being slaughtered.

   

2. Loss of Innocence: The reference to "youth" and the imagery of boys and girls mourning underscore the premature loss of innocence and life.

3. Mourning and Remembrance: The poem contrasts the lack of traditional mourning rites for the soldiers with the profound personal grief of those who remember them.

4. Impersonal Nature of Death in War: Owen emphasizes the impersonal and mechanical nature of death in war through the sounds of gunfire and shells, replacing the individualized ceremonies of death.

5. Irony and Critique of Rituals: The poem critiques the hollow nature of conventional religious and military rituals in the face of the vast and anonymous slaughter of war.

 Structure and Form

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" is structured as a Petrarchan sonnet, divided into an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines). This traditional form contrasts with the poem’s content, emphasizing the disjunction between the expected reverence of an anthem and the brutal reality of war. The rhyme scheme (ABAB CDCD EFFE GG) and use of iambic pentameter provide a rhythmic quality that contrasts with the chaotic imagery described.

 Literary Devices

1. Simile: "Die as cattle" starkly compares the soldiers to animals, underscoring the brutality and mass nature of their deaths.

   

2. Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds in "stuttering rifles' rapid rattle" creates a rhythmic imitation of gunfire.

3. Personification: "The monstrous anger of the guns" attributes human emotions to inanimate objects, highlighting the violence of war.

4. Metaphor: The "candles" in the eyes of boys and the "holy glimmers of goodbyes" serve as metaphors for the internalized mourning and memory of the dead.

5. Irony: The use of the word "anthem" for a poem describing doomed youth in war is ironic, as anthems are typically associated with celebration and reverence.

6. Imagery: Vivid images like "shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells" and "the pallor of girls' brows" evoke the sensory experience of war and mourning.

 Language and Diction

Owen’s language is stark and evocative, employing words like "monstrous," "stuttering," "shrill," and "demented" to convey the chaos and horror of war. The diction shifts in the sestet to more subdued and reflective terms such as "holy glimmers," "tenderness," and "patient minds," emphasizing the personal grief and remembrance of the fallen.

 Mood and Tone

The tone of the poem is somber and elegiac, mourning the loss of young soldiers. There is a sense of bitter irony and critique throughout, particularly in the way Owen contrasts the traditional forms of mourning with the brutal reality of war. The mood is one of profound sadness and reflection on the futility and tragedy of war.

 Context

Wilfred Owen was a British soldier and poet who wrote during World War I. His experiences in the trenches deeply influenced his poetry, which often critiques the romanticized view of war and highlights its brutal realities. "Anthem for Doomed Youth" was written in 1917, a time when the horrors of the Great War were becoming increasingly apparent, and reflects Owen's disillusionment with the glorification of war.

 Conclusion

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" serves as a powerful critique of war, highlighting the senseless loss of young lives and the inadequacy of traditional rituals to honor their deaths. Through stark imagery and poignant language, Owen captures the tragic fate of soldiers and the profound grief of those who mourn them. The poem remains a compelling reminder of the human cost of conflict and the enduring impact of loss.