Wilfred Owen's War Poems

Course Overview
After a brief introduction on Owen’s life, we will delve into the historical and cultural context in which his work was produced. We will then discuss Owens' own perspective on war, and the hallmarks of his war poetry such as its content, poetic devices and key themes.

The student will then be guided through careful analysis of the works, including guided annotations which will help the student to not only pick up on literary and stylistic devices employed, but the effects of the devices individually and in tandem. Supporting the guided annotations, we will then discuss how the literary devices in the poems contribute to the messages in the poems and the understanding of its themes. We will also pay special attention to the audience Owens' poetry seeks to invoke. This will help the student to gain insight into the psychological and emotional effects of war, and consider the ways in which poetry can serve as a means of bearing witness to and bearing witness against the atrocities of conflict.

Throughout this course, we will also consider the ways in which Owen's work has been received and interpreted over time, and the impact it has had on the broader literary and cultural landscape. We will also pay special attention to literary analyses in written form, and as such the student will be guided and coached to be able to compose their own detailed literary analyses and written arguments.

At the end of the course, students will be well versed in the intricacies of Owen's war poetry. As such, they will be able to confidently provide detailed literary analyses and well-supported arguments in writing, exceeding exam criterions.

Please note
The specific poems discussed in each course will be customised for the students curriculum (IB, A levels, IB middle years program etc).

These often include poems such as:

Anthem for Doomed Youth
Conscious
The Dead Beat
The Show
Disabled
Dulce Et Decorum Est