S.I. W.
By Wilfred Owen
I will to the King,
And offer him consolation in his trouble,
For that man there has set his teeth to die,
And being one that hates obedience,
Discipline, and orderliness of life,
I cannot mourn him.
W.B. YEATS
Summary of S.I. W.
- Popularity of “S.I.W.”: Written by Wilfred Owen, a celebrated British war poet, “S.I.W.” is a powerful poem that portrays the brutal reality of warfare and its devastating toll on soldiers. The poem first appeared in 1920 after Owen’s death when a collection edited by his friend Siegfried Sassoon was published. Despite being released posthumously, it quickly became one of the most read poems of its time and remains popular among readers and critics alike.
- “I.W.” as an Anti‑War Poem: The poem is a representative work of anti‑war poetry. It exposes senseless violence, the futility of war, and the devastating impact on soldiers forced to fight. Owen uses vivid imagery and strong diction to paint a world where death is inevitable and suffering is constant, thereby critiquing political and military leaders who turn young men into instruments of their agendas.
- Major Themes: The central theme is the futility of war and its senseless violence. Owen portrays soldiers as “smashed like an eggshell,” suggesting that war erases individuality and renders sacrifice meaningless. Dehumanization, loss of youth, and the question of whether sacrifices are worth it also permeate the poem.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in S.I. W.
- alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds creates musicality. For example, “Sisters would wish girls too could shoot, charge, curse” repeats the /w/ sound at the start of several words.
- assonance: Repeated vowel sounds add rhythm. Lines such as “brave man’s face” and “Each week, month after month, they wrote the same” use the /a/ and /o/ sounds respectively.
- enjambment: A sentence or idea continues into the next line without pause. For instance, “Because he said so, writing on his butt / Where once an hour a bullet missed its aim.”
- hyperbole: Exaggeration emphasizes a point. The phrase “His eyes grew old with wincing” exaggerates the toll of war.
- imagery: Vivid descriptions create mental pictures. Lines like “His eyes grew old with wincing, and his hand / Reckless with ague” paint a stark image of suffering.
- irony: The use of language opposite to its literal meaning. “And truthfully wrote the Mother, ‘Tim died smiling’” contrasts the grim reality with an optimistic statement.
- metaphor: A comparison without “like” or “as.” For example, “Curtained with fire, roofed in with creeping fire” compares the trench wall to a dangerous curtain and roof.
- personification: Giving human qualities to non‑human entities. The line “Death seemed still withheld” attributes agency to death.
- repetition: Repeating words or phrases for emphasis. “Each week, month after month, they wrote the same” repeats “month” to stress time’s passage.
- symbolism: Using an object to represent a larger idea. Fire in “Curtained with fire, roofed in with creeping fire” symbolizes destruction and danger.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in S.I. W.
- diction: Owen’s choice of words is stark and direct, conveying rawness and intensity.
- end rhyme: The poem does not follow a strict rhyme scheme; occasional end rhymes appear (e.g., face/disgrace).
- meter: While largely free verse, some lines approximate iambic pentameter with variations that reflect the irregular rhythm of war.
- rhyme scheme: No consistent pattern; the poem relies on imagery and diction rather than rhyme.
- poem Type: Free verse – no set structure or rhyme scheme governs the work.
- stanza Structure: The poem is divided into sections: an epigraph, a prologue, the action, the core verses, and an epilogue. Each section serves a distinct narrative purpose.
- tone: Somber and mournful, emphasizing tragedy and horror.
Quotes for Memorial Ceremonies
With him they buried the muzzle his teeth had kissed,
And truthfully wrote the Mother, ‘Tim died smiling.’