The poem Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen was written during World War I in 1917, when Owen was recovering from shell shock in a war hospital in Edinburgh. So, Owen writes from the perspective of a soldier on a battlefield. The character presents in this poem the effects of war on young adult males sent to war: their loss of identity and their untimely death, as well as society's indifference or even disrespect towards their untimely death. One might suggest that the author is exploring the theme of the horror of war and the separation that war creates between those who stay at home and those who think: the so-called two-nation effect. To convey these themes the author uses irony, auditory imagery, visual imagery and repetition. No to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The structure of Owen's Anthem for Doomed Youth is ironic. It is written in hybrid sonnet form, as it combines the structure of the Petrarchan sonnet with the rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean sonnet except for lines 11 and 12. The Petrarchan sonnet is a variation of the Elizabethan sonnet as the fourteen lines are divided into two stanzas unequal. The Shakespearean rhyme scheme is ABAB, CDCD, EFFE, GG. It should be noted that Owen uses a half rhyme for B. The fact that Owen uses the structure of a sonnet is ironic because these traditionally have a joyful mood and are centered on love. This is directly opposite to Owen's poem which has a dark atmosphere and is centered around war. The lines are written in iambic pentameter, since a line contains five pairs of syllables where the first syllable is unstressed and the second stressed. With the exception of lines 2 and 3 where the accent falls on the first syllable of the first pair of each line. The structure of the poem is ironic and highlights the fatalism of war. The beginning of the second stanza brings forth a change in setting, imagery, structure, tone, and rhythm that contribute to the theme of two nations. The first stanza speaks of the soldiers on the battlefields and their untimely deaths, while the second speaks of those who remained at home and mourn the dead. The persona uses primarily auditory imagery in the first stanza and visual imagery in the second. The first verse is an octet which contrasts with the second verse which is a sestet. The tone in the first verse where the character describes the war on the battlefield is harsh and condemnatory, while in the second verse where the character describes the war for those left at home the tone is sympathetic and fatalistic. The tone is similar to that of the poem The Sendoff, also written by Wilfred Owen. Furthermore, the first stanza is written in the present tense to make the horror of war more real to the readers and to emphasize the fact that this is happening right now as we read this poem, while the second is written in the future tense to emphasize the fact that this it is happening right now as we read this poem. fact that the deaths of these boys will never be forgotten. The pace of the poem should also be taken into consideration as it begins at a fast pace, then slows down throughout the poem, coming to a slow and somber close. This not only enhances the theme of two nations, but can also be associated with the attitude of young men who join the army, excited to honor their country but soon realizing the truth about the war. However, both stanzas use rhetorical questions in the first lines which the person continues to answer in the stanza itself. "What death knell for those who die like cattle"? line 1 e"What spark plugs can you keep to speed them all up?" line 9. These question readers and allow them to put themselves in the shoes of a soldier, thus increasing their emotional response to the following lines. The title used for the poem is ironic and instantly shatters the fantasized images of war contributing to the theme of war. the two nations. The poem is titled "Hymn for the Doomed Youth", it should be noted that the word hymn refers to a song, patriotic in nature which is synonymous with praise for one's country and support for its troops. In fact, an anthem is a song that should evoke feelings of love and honor for one's country. Owen contrasts this with the word "doomed" which implies that soldiers are destined to die soon. Furthermore, the word "doomed" not only foreshadows the fate of these soldiers but also of the poem itself, as the characters seem to come to the conclusion that these deaths will keep coming. The word “youth” follows, reminding readers of the innocence, strength, and vitality of these young soldiers. Furthermore, the long vowel sound given by the two words combined is intended to be melancholic and in contrast with the idea of ​​strength. Therefore, this title highlights the theme of two nations as those at home sing "Hymns" to praise the honor and support the soldiers on the battlefields, as well as highlighting the allure of war while in reality war is synonymous with the inevitable death of innocent young people. males. The title summarizes the poem with a mixture of thoughts related to religion and death, irony and cynicism. Owen uses figurative language extensively to explore the theme of the horror of war. With the simile of the soldier "dying like cattle" (line 1), the amount of deaths that occurred on the battlefield is compared to slaughtered cattle, therefore, emphasizing their large number and its repetitive occurrence, as if it were mechanical. Furthermore, the use of the word cattle evokes the soldiers' lack of identity, contempt for their death, and lack of emotion towards their untimely death. In verse 2, hyperbole is used: "monstrous anger" to exaggerate the fury of war and evoke the lack of rationality. This anger personifies the weapons, creating the image of weapons completely out of control and seemingly taking over the soldiers. Thus, making the weapons appear responsible for the deaths of these soldiers. It should be noted that "Weapons" is a strong and rhythmic word, which creates the impression that the war is ferocious, like a monster. The effective use of onomatopoeia in the "rattle rapid of the babbling rifle" (lines 3), evokes the sound of guns and destruction, highlighted by the extensive use of the letters "r" and "t". The alliteration also presented by these words emphasizes the rapid pace of the war. The use of “hasty orations” line 4, which here means funeral prayers, leaves readers with the certainty that these soldiers will die. The character contrasts the battlefield with religious imagery that suggests his condemnation of war and explores the theme of two nations. The weapons of destruction "guns" (line 2), "rifles" (line 3) and "bullets" (line 7), are followed by antagonistic religious images "prayers" (line 4), "bells" (line 5), "prayers" (line 5), suggesting the character's condemnation of war as lacking morality. Who will commemorate the lives of these boys? There will be "'No jeers, no prayers, no bells" "nor any voice of mourning" (lines 5 and 6), demonstrating society's lack of respect towards their untimely death as no traditional religious ceremony will take place. “The shrill, demented choruses of the wailing conchs,” verse 7, the hard, strong word “shrill” implies that the funeral was not quiet and peaceful. The auditory images once again suggest that it was not one way.