War During The Twentieth Century War Poetry Essay

Throughout the twentieth century, many poets have written about war. They have protested against it, created propaganda in support, celebrated conflict, and questioned it. War in general tends to evoke emotion in everyone, whether it is pride in a country, grief of losing a loved one, fear of the unknown, or even happiness because of a victory. On page one of Philippa Lyon’s â€Å"Twentieth Century War Poetry†, she writes,â€Å"†¦much poetry has been written by individuals (both male and female) who were not necessarily in the thick of battle.† She is saying that a lot of them poems were written by individuals with a different point of view of the war than the soldiers. Not all of war poetry was written by soldier-poets, who offer a first-hand account of what it was like and their experiences. Lyons then continues and writes, â€Å"†¦the poetry poses direct questions about motivation, intent and fairness; that is to say, about the nature, morality and politics of war.† The individuals had many questions about the war and they present those questions through poetry. It is not always seen as an individual’s hardship and struggles turned into art. Amy Lowell’s â€Å"September 1918† and Carl Sandburg’s â€Å"Grass† both describe a common theme of war, which evokes a spectrum of emotions. Lowell’s use of imagery and diction in her poem evokes a plethora of emotions. As an Imagist, she used a lot of imagery in her poems. The book â€Å"American Literature† in Funk Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia says, â€Å"TheShow MoreRelatedUniversity Of Oxford English Professor, Dr. Stuart Lee1318 Words   |  6 Pagesthat the First World War was one of the seminal moments of the twentieth century in which literate soldiers, plunged into inhuman conditions, reacted to their surroundings in poems. Lee’s statement identifies the role played by First World War poetry played in not only co mmemorating the Great War but also allowing scholars to gain an insight into the brutalities of the conflict through this literature available. This essay will agree with the statement that First World War poetry has become one ofRead MorePoetry Of Witness By Wilfred Owen1352 Words   |  6 Pages Carolyn Forchà © introduced the term ‘Poetry of Witness’ in ‘Twentieth Century Poetry of Witness’. She describes the writers of witness as â€Å"poets from all over the world who endured conditions of social and historical extremity during the twentieth century—those who suffered wars, imprisonment, military occupation, house arrest, forced exile, and political repression†. In their writings, the poets show not only that they were present at certain events of intensity, but it also allows them to displayRead MoreBeloved Poet, Shel Silverstein680 Words   |  3 PagesDo you remember reading comical poetry such as The Giving Tree during your childhood? Its author, Shel Silverstein, was one of the most recognizable children’s poets and poetry icons that has ever lived. He holds a household name due to the fact that despite his past he is able to help form a future in language, poetry, and the arts for the innovators of tomorrow. Silverste in’s works captured the essence of a person’s childhood and changed poetry and children’s literature forever. Sheldon AllanRead MoreHow Poetry Can And Can Not Say Many Things957 Words   |  4 PagesPoetry can and cannot say many things in many ways. Poetry in the Twentieth Century pertaining to the Great War or the First World War gave people an idea about what poetry could say and could not say. Poetry during the First World War would often either conceal the true nature of the conflict going on or poetry would gruesomely paint the conflict for what it was worth. Robert Brooke’s â€Å"The Solider† conceals the First World War’s ultimate brutality by claiming it as a noble endeavor, Wilfred Owen’sRead MoreElizabeth Bishop s The Waiting Room1184 Words   |  5 PagesElizabeth Bishop was considered one of the most important poets of the twentieth century. One of her greatest works was In the Waiting Room. In this somewhat autobiographical poem, Bishop tells the story of young Elizabeth’s visit to the dentist with her Aunt. While waiting Elizabeth begins to thumb through the February 1918 issue of National Geographic. She is struck with pictures of places she has never seen before and of people and cultures she could not imagine. Through this â€Å"journey† ElizabethRead MoreAnna Akhmatov The Russian Antigone1023 Words   |  5 PagesRussian Poetry in the course of the first half of the twentieth century.†(New World Encyclopedia 1). Along with being a poet, Akhmatova also wrote prose, literary scholarships, memoirs, and autobiographical pieces. In her 77 years of living Anna Akhmatova accomplished so much she went down as one of the greatest Russian poets and an inspiration for women all over the world. Anna Akhmatova, originally Anna Gorenko, was born in Odessa. A city located in Ukraine. Anna began writing poetry at the ageRead MoreThe New Negro Of The Harlem Renaissance879 Words   |  4 PagesThe New Negro Movement, also known as The Harlem Renaissance, was a time in the early twentieth century where African Americans embraced literature, music, theatre, and visual arts (Alchin). They were inspired and gave inspiration to many blacks in the community. The Great Migration was the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance – it is, where it began the most significant movement in the black history. After World War I, â€Å"more than six million African Americans† traveled from â€Å"the rural South to the citiesRead More Felicia Hemans and Jane Taylor Essay1093 Words   |  5 Pagesthe 19th century saw an emergence of female writers into the male dominated profession of poetry. Many men felt as though their profession was being invaded. They resented women entering the pu blic sphere. This mentality in part helped influence which women were able to write and what they wrote about. Felicia Hemans and Jane Taylor are both women poets that emerged during the 19th century. Both women have used their poetry to help expand on traditional notions of romantic poetry during their livesRead MoreBenefits from the Nineteenth Century were Unraveled by World War I912 Words   |  4 Pagesthe nineteenth century benefited from the fruits of artistic innovation, technological achievement, and international exchange. Unfortunately, this rich fabric of culture seemed to unravel in the Great War. During this time, many people questioned the ideas and achievements of the past, hoping to find answers that would guide them in the face of an uncertain future (The Humanities pg 1115). Artists and writers were among those who challenged the traditions of the previous centuries, and they triedRead MoreAn Analysis Of Walt Whitman And Emily Dickinson1567 Words   |  7 Pagesm ore of a Romantic writer. Nonetheless, their poems introduced new ideas and meaningful outlooks in the twentieth century, perhaps changing the world of poetry in the process. Although they both were successful, their poems were very distinct from each other in a unique way: their writing styles. Whitman’s writing style expresses many similarities with Dickinson’s writing style, such as their poetry themes and shifts from realistic to metaphoric reflections, but also contradicts with her’s through the