Discuss the ways in which relationships are presented in Owen’s poetry and ‘Birdsong’. Illuminate your answer with reference to ‘Journey’s end’.
Discuss the ways in which relationships are presented in Owen’s poetry and ‘Birdsong’. Illuminate your answer with reference to ‘Journey’s end’.
The way in which relationships are presented in these texts help to accentuate how difficult the conditions of the war were and how this affected the soldiers. Some relationships are presented in such a way as to give context and explanation to the backgrounds of the characters, which distinguish certain contrasts between them, helping to further portray how terrible the conditions in the war were. There are different types of relationships presented throughout these texts, some of which stress desperation to survive, and others which add to the emotional indifferences suffered by some of the soldiers.
‘Greater Love’ by Owen refers to Owen’s love for the soldiers that he fought alongside. The title, ‘Greater Love’ suggests a biblical reference, and can be linked to the quotation ‘Greater love hath no man than that he laid down his life for his friend’. The fact that Owen chose to entitle the poem ‘Greater Love’ gives an indication as to how dear his fellow soldiers were to him, and how intense the feeling of camaraderie was between the men. The quotation ‘Red lips are not so red, as the stained stones kissed by the English dead’ shows the vehement nature of the relationships formed between the men, as Owen compares romantic love to the selfless love that the soldiers felt for each other.
Furthermore, the quotation ‘Where God seems not to care’ suggests that the soldiers questioned how a good God could allow such atrocities to happen. The following line, ‘Till the fierce love they bear’ suggests that relationships between the men were more reliable and sustainable than their own faith and relationship with God, which at the time of WW1, would have been deemed controversial. This further accentuates the loyalty, trust, devotion, and love that the men felt toward one another. The deteriorating relationship with God can
The way in which relationships are presented in these texts help to accentuate how difficult the conditions of the war were and how this affected the soldiers. Some relationships are presented in such a way as to give context and explanation to the backgrounds of the characters, which distinguish certain contrasts between them, helping to further portray how terrible the conditions in the war were. There are different types of relationships presented throughout these texts, some of which stress desperation to survive, and others which add to the emotional indifferences suffered by some of the soldiers.
‘Greater Love’ by Owen refers to Owen’s love for the soldiers that he fought alongside. The title, ‘Greater Love’ suggests a biblical reference, and can be linked to the quotation ‘Greater love hath no man than that he laid down his life for his friend’. The fact that Owen chose to entitle the poem ‘Greater Love’ gives an indication as to how dear his fellow soldiers were to him, and how intense the feeling of camaraderie was between the men. The quotation ‘Red lips are not so red, as the stained stones kissed by the English dead’ shows the vehement nature of the relationships formed between the men, as Owen compares romantic love to the selfless love that the soldiers felt for each other.
Furthermore, the quotation ‘Where God seems not to care’ suggests that the soldiers questioned how a good God could allow such atrocities to happen. The following line, ‘Till the fierce love they bear’ suggests that relationships between the men were more reliable and sustainable than their own faith and relationship with God, which at the time of WW1, would have been deemed controversial. This further accentuates the loyalty, trust, devotion, and love that the men felt toward one another. The deteriorating relationship with God can