Exposure Flashcards
Our brains ache, (in the merciless iced east winds that knive us)
(power of nature and reality of war as it shows that the real pain and injuries are from the weather)
“Our brains ache” - abrupt opening hooks reader in, use of present tense also gives a sense of immediacy and reflects the overwhelming nature of war.
the pronoun “our” indicates the shared painful experience: all soldiers face the same tribulations.
could link to not only physical pain but also the emotional trauma that soldiers face such as PTSD which Owen suffered from
the merciless iced east winds that knive us…
power of nature and reality of conflict
the personification and imagery of the wind suggest that the weather is like a deliberately vicious and inescapable enemy. the men are faced with double peril; enemy soldiers and the risk of hypothermia from exposure
this displays the conflict between man and nature during WW1 as well as the power nature has over man
the ellipsis creates tension as the men are waiting for something to happen
Wearied we keep awake because the night is silent…
reality of conflict
ironic as a “silent” night is the perfect conditions for sleeping however war has inverted a man’s sense of being and things that used to bring comfort are threatening the soldiers
also ironic because war is portrayed as cataclysmic and chaotic but here the night is almost portrayed as peaceful which creates an ominous atmosphere as if something is about to happen reflecting how the soldiers are waiting for something to happen too.
But nothing happens
The reality of conflict
refrain - emphasises the belief that war is futile as the soldiers are waiting to die but nothing happens
emphasises the agony of waiting and that war isn’t about action
repeated at the end of the poem which creates a sense of hopelessness and despair where the men see their deaths as inevitable
The last line takes us back to the beginning - The soldiers have achieved nothing. It is saying that the war is pointless. It also refers back to the criticism of the Generals who did nothing and continue to do nothing to prevent death.
“nothing happens” emphasises that all the pain and agony that the soldiers endure during war, is pointless as it brings no benefit to the ongoing conflict and typically ends in the soldiers doom and forgotten legacy
Watching, we hear the mad gusts tugging on the wire,
the reality of war
The use of the verbs “watching” and “hear” is an example of synesthesia which emphasizes the confusion the soldiers are experiencing throughout the poem, as they are two different senses described as one.
“watching” also supports the idea of nothing happens, the constant wait that the soldiers go through - reality of conflict
the personification of the wind as “mad” creates the impression of the wind being uncontrollably violent and deadly, creating an image of the soldiers being torn apart by natural elements.
Far off, like a dull rumour of some other war
the reality of war
Simile
The fact that the war is “like a dull rumour if some other war” highlights the power of nature as the weather are the soldiers’ main concern instead of the “gunnery rumbles”
At this point, the soldiers are so weary and jaded by both the weather and war that they feel completely detached from it, hence the ‘dull rumour’.
Another possibility is that the battle with enemy soldiers has become less threatening than the perils of the weather.
What are we doing here?
reality of conflict
the use of the anti-climatic rhetorical question creates a sense of incompleteness and unease as it leaves unanswered questions, mirroring the constant sense of unease the soldiers feel as well as the ambiguity of war.
This rhetorical question demonstrates the soldiers realisation that war is pointless and that he has been mis-informed about his role there. He is simply a pawn in the chess game that is the war for power and control .
The poignant misery of dawn begins to grow
power of nature
The ‘poignant misery of dawn’ is ironic, as in normal life dawn is thought of as positive, the start of a new day and a metaphor for a new life. Here, it is ‘poignant’ as it is the coldest time when men will die; or, if they survive, be forced to face another terrible day
the personification of nature through the verb “grow” could reflect the increasing danger of the weather as it becomes colder, therefore, making it more likely for soldiers to suffer from hyperthermia
Dawn massing in the east her melancholy army / Attacks once more in ranks on shivering ranks of grey,
(power of nature)
ironic that dawn, normally associated with new life and hope, brings sadness and fear and hopelessness.
the suffering caused by nature is made even more explicit through the personification of nature through a militaristic semantic field, as an “army” which highlights the conflict between nature and man. moreover through the use of the verb “massing”, Dawn is depicted as the leader of the opposing army (nature) that the soldiers have to face which emphasises the menacing threat of Dawn.
the repetition of “ranks” could convey the overwhelming nature of weather and how much more dominant it is in the war
the use of the adjectives “grey” and “melancholy” accentuates how depressing war is and the amount of despair the soldiers are in.
onomatopeia “shivering” creates an image of trembling bodies and chattering teeth highlighting the suffering of the soldiers.
Sudden successive flights of bullets streak the silence.
reality of conflict
Sibilance employed here increasing the pace of the poem which conveys the “sudden” change on the battlefield as well as also used to convey the sound of the bullets flying past in a war. This contrasts greatly with the slow pace of the previous stanza which reflects how unpredictable war is
The use of the word ‘sudden’ is a juxtaposition between the fast, instantaneous death caused by bullets and the slow, tedious death caused by hypothermia/ being exposed to the elements.
the continuation of “s”, throughout this stanza, could imply how the bullets never stop and are also continuous.
“streak the silence” emphasises the contrast between the silence and the sudden gunfire. also conveys the sense of confusion caused by the gunfire due to synaesthesia being employed as Silence relates to sound, but streak is something the soldiers will see.
We cringe in holes, back on forgotten dreams, and stare, snow-dazed,
(reality of conflict, power of nature, loss and absence)
“cringe in holes” creates an animalistic imagery as the soldiers are presented as frightened animals hiding away in their burrows which suggests the soldiers are experiencing claustrophobia. the fact that the soldiers have been forced into “holes” shows natures power to reduce humans, who see themselves as the most powerful thing on the planet, to a futile state which connotes feelings that a battle with nature to survive is one that we can not win.
“back on forgotten dreams” The claustrophobia and sense of helplessness creates a sense of longing within them. Presenting two opposing images presents a sense of desperation: while the soldiers fight and parry the biting winds, they look back on forgotten ‘dreams’ -that seem like paradise compared to the inferno that awaits them-conjured by their withering souls that yearn for a safer place. This could also be interpreted as the soldiers giving up on their dreams as they have lost hope of surviving the war
‘snow-dazed’ could imply how the harsh weather has them mentally and physically paralyzed and also depicts the hypothermia which is the main cause described in the poem,
“stare, snow-dazed”
“drowse, sun-dozed”
There is also para-rhyme in ‘dazed’ and ‘dozed’, this could emphasise the confusion in the thoughts and actions of the soldiers. It also leaves the readers with a sense of incompleteness, as were the soldier’s lives. this combined with the contrast between “snow” and “sun” could be a reference to the hallucinatory state of clinical hypothermia, where they believe they are living the warmth of happier memories.
“drowse” - verb- they cant’s fully sleep because of the relentless weather and discomfort. Also suggests daydreaming highlighting how homesick they are. their day dream is so overpowering they forget the effects of war
Slowly our ghosts drag home
reality of conflict, effects of conflict, loss and absence
“Slowly” stresses the time taken for anything to happen. The assonant long ‘oh’ sounds “slowly”, “ghosts”, “home” and “glozed” emphasises the painful, slow journey.
“ghosts” have connotations of death - Owen could be implying that the soldiers hope for their spirits to return home when they die. the fact that the speaker is seeing ghost could suggest that he is hallucinating as a result of hypothermia
Shutters and doors, all closed: on us the doors are closed,—
we turn back to our dying
(effects of war, loss and absence)
the caesura in this stanza creates a pause which could reflect the division between home and war; imaginations and reality
soldiers would not be welcomed home. They are compelled and expected to stay where they are or that their families have already moved on
could also represent that their life is over - they are expecting to die
collective pronouns “all” and “us” could emphasise to the reader just how many soldiers died and how many families had to grieve. it could also highlight how every soldier is suffering in the same way - war is heroic for no-one
He uses anastrophe, this serves as a reminder of the delirium he is experiencing, his words are jumbled and confused. His ideas are ambiguous.
we turn back to our dying
the reality of conflict, effects, loss and absense
The phrase “turn back to” dying, is ironically casual. Owen expresses this almost nonchalantly, as if the soldiers were expecting and waiting to die.
The whole stanza itself is a Volta, a change in focus within a poem, this stanza acts as the soldiers delusion, there thoughts of reunion and a happy peaceful end to life. The stanza ends with “We turn back to our dying.” Cutting away the soldiers delusion only to return back to the harsh reality were death nearing is anything but peaceful.
