On Being Asked for a War Poem | The Second Coming | Poems by William Butler Yeats
On Being Asked for a War Poem | The Second Coming | Poems by William Butler Yeats
This blog is written as a task assigned by the head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Here is the link to the professor's research article for background reading: Click here.{getToc} $title={Table of Contents} $count={false}
| William Butler Yeats | |
 Yeats in 1903 |
|
| Born | 13 June 1865 |
| Died | 28 January 1939 (aged 73) |
| Awards | Nobel Prize in Literature (1923) |
W. B. Yeats documentary: Click here.
Q.-1.|Compare the treatment of war in 'On Being Asked for a War Poem' with other war poems by Wilfred Owen or Siegfried Sassoon.
Ans.
1. Introduction: Contrasting Visions of War: A Comparative Analysis of Yeats, Owen, and Sassoon
Video Lecture on 'On Being Asked for a War Poem' by W. B. Yeats on YouTube/DoE-MKBU: Click here.
Video lecture on War Poets: Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, Rupert Brooke on YouTube/Vidya-mitra: Click here.
In literary history, war poetry has long served as a vehicle to express the complex interplay between human experience and the ravages of conflict. This analysis examines the divergent approaches to war as seen in William Butler Yeats’s 'On being asked for a War Poem' compared with Wilfred Owen’s 'Dulce et Decorum Est' and Siegfried Sassoon’s 'Suicide in the Trenches.' While Yeats adopts a stance of deliberate detachment and philosophical abstraction, both Owen and Sassoon embrace vivid, confrontational realism. By engaging with key passages from these texts and situating them within modernist and anti-war frameworks, this analysis elucidates how each poet negotiates the tension between the artistic impulse and the political exigencies of war.
2. Yeats’s Modernist Rejection of Conventional War Poetry
2.1. The Role of the Poet in Times of Conflict
In 'On being asked for a War Poem,' Yeats famously asserts,
“I think it better that in times like theseA poet's mouth be silent, for in truthWe have no gift to set a statesman right;He has had enough of meddling who can pleaseA young girl in the indolence of her youth,Or an old man upon a winter’s night.”(Yeats, “On being asked for a War Poem”)
Here, Yeats underscores his belief that the poet’s task is not to serve as a mouthpiece for political agendas or to offer solutions to the logistical and moral dilemmas of war. Instead, he envisages poetry as a realm of timeless, spiritual, and aesthetic exploration. Yeats’s deliberate choice to remain silent on the specifics of war reflects a modernist emphasis on art’s autonomy and its separation from immediate political concerns. This distancing can be read as an implicit critique of the grand narratives of heroism and nationalistic fervor that had historically pervaded war literature.
2.2. Philosophical and Spiritual Dimensions
Yeats’s modernist sensibilities manifest in his reliance on abstraction and myth rather than on direct representation of physical brutality. His suggestion that poetry transcends the ephemeral disturbances of political life points to a broader aesthetic philosophy wherein art is a repository of eternal truths. This stance is imbued with irony, for by refusing to engage with the visceral realities of war, Yeats paradoxically critiques both the superficiality of propaganda and the inadequacy of poetry to act as a moral corrective. His approach, therefore, becomes a reflective meditation on the limitations and the responsibilities of artistic expression in times of crisis.
3. Owen and Sassoon: Vivid Realism and the Human Cost of War
3.1. Wilfred Owen’s Graphic Anti-War Manifesto
Video on Dulce Et Decorum Est - Animation on YouTube/Animative Media: Click here.
In stark contrast to Yeats’s measured abstraction, Wilfred Owen’s 'Dulce et Decorum Est' presents war in all its gruesome immediacy. Through his unflinching portrayal of the physical and psychological torment endured by soldiers, Owen dismantles the sanitized, heroic image of warfare. Consider the harrowing opening lines:
“Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,And towards our distant rest began to trudge.”(Owen)
Owen’s vivid imagery and raw language serve to evoke the degradation and despair of life in the trenches. His work is characterized by a meticulous attention to the sensory and emotional dimensions of war—elements that render the experience both palpable and deeply human. The poem’s denunciation of the—
“old Lie: Dulce et decorum estPro patria mori.”(Owen)
—encapsulates its core message: the romanticization of war is not only misleading but morally reprehensible.
3.2. Siegfried Sassoon’s Satirical and Compassionate Critique
Video on Suicide in the Trenches by Siegfried Sassoon: Read by Stephen Graham on YouTube/Channel 4 Documentaries: Click here.
Similarly, Sassoon’s 'Suicide in the Trenches' adopts a tone of biting satire to expose the tragic futility and dehumanization inherent in modern warfare. Sassoon’s opening lines immediately establish the stark contrast between youthful innocence and the grim reality of trench life:
“I knew a simple soldier boyWho grinned at life in empty joy,Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,And whistled early with the lark.”(Sassoon)
The poem quickly shifts from a tone of naïve optimism to a brutal revelation of despair as the soldier succumbs to the overwhelming horrors of his environment:
“In winter trenches, cowed and glum,With crumps and lice and lack of rum,He put a bullet through his brain.No one spoke of him again.”(Sassoon)
Through its unadorned language and acerbic critique of societal complacency—
“You smug-faced crowds with kindling eyeWho cheer when soldier lads march by”(Sassoon)
—Sassoon challenges the public’s detachment from the suffering inflicted by military conflict. His poem underscores the idea that the glorification of war is a grotesque betrayal of the individual soldier’s lived experience.
4. Comparative Analysis: Detached Idealism Versus Harsh Realism
4.1. Artistic Intent and Function: Abstraction Versus Confrontation
The divergence in the poets’ approaches is rooted in fundamentally different conceptions of the poet’s role during wartime. Yeats’s invocation of silence and abstraction reflects a modernist preoccupation with universal, transcendent themes that resist immediate political manipulation. In his view, poetry should function as an artistic endeavor capable of capturing eternal truths rather than a vehicle for direct social intervention. Conversely, Owen and Sassoon harness the immediacy of their experiences to forge a direct critique of war. Their poetry not only documents the physical horrors and emotional scars of conflict but also serves as a potent tool for exposing the myth of noble sacrifice and the corrosive effects of state-sanctioned violence.
4.2. The Use of Imagery and Symbolism
Imagery serves as a critical differentiator between these two poetic paradigms. Yeats’s symbolic language, replete with mythic and abstract elements, creates a contemplative space that distances the reader from the visceral realities of war. His reliance on metaphor and irony suggests that the poet’s art is best employed in exploring the metaphysical rather than the material aspects of human experience. In contrast, Owen’s and Sassoon’s unflinching depictions employ graphic, almost cinematic detail to confront the reader with the brutal consequences of war. Owen’s portrayal of a soldier “drowning” in gas and the grotesque imagery of “blood... gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs” starkly counteracts any notion of war as a sublime or honorable endeavor.
4.3. Irony and Rhetorical Strategies
Irony functions as a pivotal rhetorical strategy in both Yeats’s and Owen’s work, albeit in markedly different ways. Yeats’s ironic silence—his refusal to articulate war’s horrors—implicitly criticizes the notion that poetry should be subservient to political exigencies. His stance serves as an admonition against reducing artistic expression to mere propaganda. Meanwhile, Owen’s invocation of “the old Lie” is itself a form of irony, as it juxtaposes the high-flown rhetoric of patriotic sacrifice with the grim reality of soldiers’ suffering. Sassoon’s sardonic tone further amplifies this ironic dissonance, as he exposes the hypocrisy of a society that venerates war while simultaneously disregarding the human cost it entails.
5. Conclusion
The treatment of war in the poems of Yeats, Owen, and Sassoon reveals a profound divergence in artistic philosophy and political engagement. Yeats’s modernist detachment—his deliberate choice to eschew the depiction of war’s brutality in favor of a more abstract, spiritual contemplation—stands in stark contrast to the visceral realism of Owen and Sassoon, whose works serve as unvarnished indictments of war’s dehumanizing effects. While Yeats’s refusal to engage with the immediate realities of war may be interpreted as a protective stance toward the integrity of poetic expression, Owen’s and Sassoon’s uncompromising portrayals confront the reader with the raw, unfiltered truth of conflict. Ultimately, these contrasting approaches underscore the multifaceted role of the poet: one who may either seek to transcend the temporal horrors of war or to expose them in all their tragic detail. Together, these works invite a re-examination of the relationship between art, politics, and the human condition—a dialogue that remains as relevant today as it was in the poets’ own tumultuous eras.
Q.-2.|Write a modernist-inspired poem reflecting on a contemporary global crisis, drawing on Yeats’s themes and techniques. [Generate with the help of Gen AI like ChatGPT or Google Gemini or Meta: WhatsApp or Microsoft Co-pilot]
Ans.
The following poem is generated using ChatGPT.
Title: Digital Gyre
Turning and turning in the widening digital gyre,The algorithmic falcon no longer heeds its human call;Our constructed centers crumble—Things unravel as the code of society breaks.Mere chaos streams through silicon veins,A fire-dimmed tide surges,Drowning the last vestiges of whispered truthIn the relentless hum of data and despair.Surely, some revelation is at hand;Surely, a new epoch is upon us.Hardly are those words birthed when from the deep netA vast image, born of Spiritus Mundi of our time,Troubles my sight: in the pixelated dustA shape emerges—a hybrid of flesh and circuit,Its gaze as blank and pitiless as a shattered screen,Lumbering slowly through the ruins of our once-solid world.In this age of fractured signals and climate unrest,The best tremble in lost conviction,While the worst surge with virulent, digital intensity.Ancient cycles dissolve beneath our neon skies,As hope and innocence are drownedIn a torrent of disconnected voicesAnd the echo of forgotten promises.And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,Slouches towards a future unbound by memory—A future where the old order disintegratesInto scattered fragments of light and shadow,A testament to a world remadeIn the relentless churn of a digital gyre?
Q.-3.|Do you agree with Yeats’s assertion in 'On Being Asked for a War Poem' that poetry should remain apolitical? Why or why not?
Ans.
1. Introduction: The Role of Politics in Poetry: A Critical Examination of Yeats’s Assertion
William Butler Yeats’s poem 'On being asked for a War Poem' famously asserts that in times of conflict, a poet’s voice is best kept detached from political commentary. In the lines—
“I think it better that in times like theseA poet's mouth be silent, for in truthWe have no gift to set a statesman right;He has had enough of meddling who can pleaseA young girl in the indolence of her youth,Or an old man upon a winter’s night.”(Yeats, “On being asked for a War Poem”)
Yeats suggests that poetry should remain apolitical, focusing instead on timeless, universal themes rather than engaging directly with political issues or war propaganda. This analysis critically examines whether poetry should indeed remain apolitical, weighing Yeats’s perspective against alternative views that argue for a more engaged and socially responsive poetic practice.
2. Yeats’s Advocacy for Apolitical Poetry
2.1. The Modernist Detachment
Yeats’s call for silence in the realm of war poetry is deeply rooted in modernist principles. His modernist detachment emphasizes the spiritual and eternal over transient political events. According to Yeats, poetry possesses an intrinsic artistic integrity that risks being compromised when it becomes an instrument for propaganda or political persuasion. By advocating for a focus on “timeless, universal themes,” Yeats implies that the poet’s role is not to intervene in the political arena but to reflect on deeper human truths—truths that transcend immediate historical events and partisan disputes.
2.2. Artistic Integrity and the Risk of Reductionism
Yeats’s position rests on the conviction that engaging with political subjects, particularly war, can reduce the artistic value of poetry. He posits that poetry’s merit lies in its ability to capture aesthetic and existential dimensions that are not bound by the fluctuating tides of political ideology. As he notes, poets have—
“no gift to set a statesman right”(Yeats, “On being asked for a War Poem”)
—suggesting that the moral and practical complexities of political life are beyond the reach of poetic expression. In this view, poetry’s apolitical stance safeguards its capacity to explore universal experiences without being diluted by the exigencies of contemporary political debates.
3. The Case for Politically Engaged Poetry
3.1. The Moral Obligation to Address Injustice
Despite Yeats’s compelling arguments, many critics and poets contend that the moral and ethical responsibilities of a poet extend to addressing societal suffering and injustice. Historical contexts, particularly during times of war and oppression, have shown that poetry can serve as a powerful tool for social critique. Poets such as Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon exemplify this approach through their war poetry, which directly confronts the brutal realities of conflict. Owen’s work, for example, exposes “the pity of war” by vividly depicting the physical and emotional devastation experienced by soldiers. In this light, poetry becomes an act of witnessing and resistance—a medium through which the inhumanity of war is brought to public attention.
3.2. Poetry as Rhetoric and Social Commentary
Political engagement in poetry does not necessarily entail a simplistic endorsement of partisan ideologies. Instead, it can involve the use of classical rhetorical strategies to challenge prevailing narratives and expose underlying power structures. Owen’s 'Dulce et Decorum Est' is a skillfully constructed argument that not only deconstructs the glorification of war but also persuades its audience to reconsider cherished myths about heroic sacrifice. Similarly, Sassoon’s biting satire in 'Suicide in the Trenches' critiques the hypocrisy of military leadership and the societal complicity in war’s devastation. These examples underscore that when poets engage politically, they provide critical reflections that enrich public discourse and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of historical events.
3.3. The Role of Experience in Shaping Poetic Expression
A significant counterpoint to Yeats’s assertion lies in the idea that poetry is inherently experiential. For many soldier-poets, the visceral experience of war—and the subsequent need to communicate that reality—renders apolitical detachment both impossible and ethically questionable. Poetry that stems from lived experience carries an authenticity that can challenge and transform public perceptions. By remaining silent on political matters, as Yeats advocates, poetry risks becoming detached from the very human realities it seeks to illuminate. In contrast, the work of politically engaged poets underscores that art, when borne of direct experience, becomes a potent medium for social empathy and historical accountability.
4. Balancing Artistic Integrity with Political Engagement
4.1. Limitations and Risks of Apoliticism
While the notion of keeping poetry apolitical aims to preserve artistic integrity, it is important to recognize that true apoliticism may be elusive. Even when poets avoid explicit political commentary, their choices of subject matter, style, and symbolism are often influenced by the socio-political context in which they write. By attempting to remain detached, poets might inadvertently reinforce dominant power structures, as they fail to challenge the status quo that shapes their cultural and historical landscape. This suggests that the separation between art and politics is not as clear-cut as Yeats might propose.
4.2. A Synthesis: Contextual Engagement without Propaganda
A more nuanced approach recognizes that while poetry need not serve as direct propaganda, it can—and perhaps should—engage with political realities in a manner that enriches its aesthetic and moral dimensions. Poetry that is contextually aware can address the complexities of political life without sacrificing its artistic essence. This synthesis allows poets to draw on personal experience and historical insight while retaining the transcendent qualities that define art. The key lies in balancing a respect for poetic form and metaphor with an honest appraisal of the world’s socio-political intricacies.
4.3. Contemporary Relevance of Politically Engaged Poetry
In today’s globalized world, where political events are intricately interwoven with cultural expression, the debate over poetry’s political engagement remains highly relevant. Contemporary poets often grapple with issues of injustice, war, and social inequality, using their art to give voice to marginalized communities and challenge entrenched narratives. This trend reflects an evolving understanding of poetry as a dynamic and influential medium that can simultaneously uphold artistic integrity and foster social change.
5. Conclusion
In evaluating Yeats’s assertion that poetry should remain apolitical, it becomes clear that the issue is complex and multifaceted. Yeats’s call for detachment reflects a commitment to preserving the timeless and universal qualities of poetry, a stance that seeks to elevate art above the ephemeral concerns of political life. However, the moral imperative to address injustice and bear witness to human suffering—as powerfully demonstrated by poets like Owen and Sassoon—suggests that a degree of political engagement is not only inevitable but also essential. Rather than viewing apoliticism and political engagement as mutually exclusive, a balanced approach recognizes that poetry can maintain its aesthetic integrity while still offering incisive commentary on the human condition.
Ultimately, whether one agrees with Yeats’s assertion depends on one’s conception of the poet’s role in society. If the primary objective of poetry is to capture eternal truths and provide a refuge from the vicissitudes of politics, then Yeats’s perspective is persuasive. Conversely, if poetry is seen as an active participant in the struggle for justice and truth, then politically engaged poetry serves as a vital counterbalance to apolitical detachment. In the end, the enduring power of poetry lies in its ability to oscillate between the personal and the political, inviting readers to reflect on both the ineffable and the immediate aspects of the human experience.
Q.-4.|How does Yeats use imagery to convey a sense of disintegration in 'The Second Coming'?
Ans.
1. Introduction: Disintegrating Order: Yeats’s Use of Imagery in 'The Second Coming'
Video on 'The Second Coming' by William Butler Yeats on YouTube/TED-Ed: Click here.
Video on William Butler Yeats: The Second Coming on YouTube/CEC: Click here.
Video Lecture on 'The Second Coming' by W.B. Yeats on YouTube/DoE-MKBU: Click here.
William Butler Yeats’s 'The Second Coming' is renowned for its apocalyptic vision—a tapestry of vivid imagery that encapsulates a world in the throes of disintegration. Through a series of striking images, Yeats portrays the collapse of traditional order and the emergence of chaotic, destructive forces. This analysis explores how Yeats employs imagery—from the widening gyre to the monstrous “rough beast”—to convey a profound sense of disintegration, both of societal structures and of the spiritual and moral certainties that once held civilization together.
2. The Widening Gyre: Symbolizing the Loss of Control
2.1. The Gyre as a Metaphor for Historical Disintegration
The poem opens with the evocative lines:
“Turning and turning in the widening gyreThe falcon cannot hear the falconer;”(Yeats, “The Second Coming”)
Here, the image of the gyre—a spiraling, ever-widening vortex—serves as a powerful metaphor for the loss of control over historical and social order. The "widening gyre" implies not only an expansion but also an unraveling of the tightly wound patterns that once sustained civilization. In Yeats’s vision, as the gyre expands, traditional centers of power and meaning dissipate, leaving behind a sense of uncontrolled, chaotic movement. The falcon’s inability to hear the falconer further intensifies this feeling of disintegration, suggesting that the guiding force (or authority) has lost its influence over its creation. This disjunction between the falcon and the falconer symbolizes the broader breakdown of order—both natural and man-made—as history careens toward an uncertain future.
2.2. Implications of the Disrupted Cycle
The imagery of the gyre draws from Yeats’s broader belief in cyclical history, a concept elaborated in his work 'A Vision.' In this context, the expansion of the gyre signals the end of one era and the onset of another—an era marked by chaos and disintegration. The breakdown of these cycles implies that the structures which once maintained balance are now failing, heralding a shift from order to anarchy.
3. The Collapse of Order: Disjointed Imagery of Chaos
3.1. "Things Fall Apart; the Centre Cannot Hold"
Central to Yeats’s depiction of disintegration is the stark declaration:
“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.”(Yeats, “The Second Coming”)
This line succinctly encapsulates the collapse of both societal and moral structures. The “centre”—a metaphor for the core values, institutions, and beliefs that once provided stability—now fails to contain the overwhelming forces of anarchy. By suggesting that everything is falling apart, Yeats conveys the inevitability of disintegration; order is not merely failing—it is disintegrating into a state of chaos.
3.2. Vivid Imagery of Anarchy and Decay
Yeats amplifies this theme with images of rampant destruction:
“Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhereThe ceremony of innocence is drowned.”(Yeats, “The Second Coming”)
These lines are replete with unsettling imagery. The phrase “blood-dimmed tide” conjures visions of a world overwhelmed by violence and bloodshed, while “the ceremony of innocence is drowned” evokes a profound loss of purity and hope. The use of water imagery—a tide, in particular—suggests an unstoppable, engulfing force that overwhelms and erases the vestiges of civilization. In this depiction, disintegration is not a gradual decay but a violent, sweeping force that leaves no part of society untouched.
4. The Monstrous "Rough Beast": A Harbinger of a New, Chaotic Era
4.1. Subverting the Promise of Salvation
In the poem’s latter half, Yeats introduces a figure that subverts the traditional imagery of redemption associated with the Second Coming:
“When a vast image out of Spiritus MundiTroubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desertA shape with lion body and the head of a man,A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun.”(Yeats, “The Second Coming”)
This “rough beast”—a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man—embodies the disintegration of familiar spiritual and moral orders. Traditionally, the Second Coming would herald the arrival of a savior, a moment of renewal and salvation. However, Yeats’s imagery presents a perverse inversion of this hope: instead of a redeemer, a monstrous entity emerges. The beast’s “blank and pitiless” gaze, as indifferent and unyielding as the sun, suggests that the forces of disintegration are not compassionate or redemptive but are instead destructive and inexorable.
4.2. The Beast as an Allegory for Historical Rupture
The emergence of the beast also functions as an allegory for the collapse of a long-standing historical cycle. Yeats writes:
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”(Yeats, “The Second Coming”)
This final image is both apocalyptic and deeply ambiguous. The reference to Bethlehem—a symbol of divine birth and hope—juxtaposed with the “rough beast” creates a dark parody of religious narratives. Rather than signaling a return to order, the birth of this beast signifies the commencement of a new era marked by uncertainty and disintegration. It encapsulates the fear that, in the absence of established moral and spiritual centers, humanity is destined to confront a future defined by chaos and relentless decay.
5. Structural Techniques: Enjambment and Disjointed Imagery
5.1. The Role of Enjambment in Creating Unsettling Continuity
Beyond the specific images Yeats employs, his use of enjambment—the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line—further reinforces the poem’s atmosphere of disintegration. The seamless flow between images and ideas mimics the unstoppable progression of chaos. This structural choice disrupts traditional metrical expectations, mirroring the thematic breakdown of order and coherence within society.
5.2. Disjointed Visuals and the Modernist Aesthetic
The poem’s rapid shifts—from the widening gyre to the blood-dimmed tide to the appearance of the monstrous beast—create a disjointed visual experience. This fragmentation is emblematic of modernist art, which often reflects the fractured realities of a post-World War I world. Yeats’s imagery, with its abrupt transitions and unresolved tensions, captures the disjointed nature of contemporary existence. The lack of a unifying, coherent narrative parallels the erosion of societal structures, reinforcing the overall sense of disintegration that pervades the poem.
6. Mysticism, Occult Influences, and the Collective Unconscious
6.1. Spiritus Mundi and the Occult Dimension
Yeats’s invocation of “Spiritus Mundi”—a term denoting the collective unconscious or the shared reservoir of human experience—adds a mystical dimension to the poem’s imagery. The “vast image” that troubles the speaker’s sight is not merely a personal hallucination but a manifestation drawn from the collective psyche. This connection to the occult underscores the idea that the disintegration of order is not an isolated phenomenon but one deeply embedded in the fabric of human history and experience.
6.2. The Cyclical Nature of History and Disintegration
The imagery of the gyre and the emergence of the rough beast reflect Yeats’s belief in cyclical history. In his view, historical epochs are marked by a rhythmic alternation between order and chaos. However, the current moment, as depicted in 'The Second Coming,' signals not a return to order but a transition into a new, more disintegrated state. The collapse of established centers and the rise of monstrous, uncontainable forces speak to the inevitability of this historical rupture—a theme that resonates with the broader modernist preoccupation with alienation and fragmentation.
7. Conclusion
In 'The Second Coming,' Yeats masterfully deploys imagery to convey a profound sense of disintegration—of social order, moral certainties, and historical cycles. From the widening gyre that signifies the loss of control to the stark declaration that—
“things fall apart; the centre cannot hold”(Yeats, “The Second Coming”)
—every image is a testament to the breakdown of established norms. The blood-dimmed tide and the drowning of innocence paint a vivid picture of chaos, while the monstrous “rough beast” subverts traditional notions of redemption and signals the birth of a new, terrifying era.
Through these disjointed and unsettling images, Yeats not only captures the turbulence of his own time but also offers a timeless meditation on the cyclical nature of history and the inevitable decay of order. The interplay of mysticism, structural experimentation, and apocalyptic vision ensures that 'The Second Coming' remains a compelling and enduring exploration of disintegration—a work that continues to resonate with readers facing the uncertainties of an ever-changing world.
Additional Resources:
Video on WW1 - Oversimplified (Part 1) on YouTube/OverSimplified: Click here.
Video on WW1 - Oversimplified (Part 2) on YouTube/OverSimplified: Click here.
Video on Why World War 1 happened? | The Real Reason on YouTube/Dhruv Rathee: Click here.
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Stephen Benz. “The Poet as Rhetor: A Reading of Wilfred Owen’s ‘Dulce et Decorum Est.’” Journal of Modern Literature, vol. 41, no. 3, 2018, pp. 1–17. JSTOR, doi.org/10.2979/jmodelite.41.3.01.
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