Wilfred Owen is actually one of my favourite poets. I've got his book on my shelf and it was the only poetry I enjoyed learning at school. I really felt his emotion and the realism in his writing, compared to other poets.
Great video, and a wonderful introduction to Owen. If you've not yet read them, I'd recommend reading all his letters, I think they're better than any biography for getting to know him and really getting to hear his voice (and his sense of humour). It's really hard to get hold of the original complete collected letters now (edited by John Bell and Harold Owen) as it's been out of print for a very long time, but the new Selected Letters has most of his letters in and is very good (edited by Jane Potter - my phd supervisor, and proofread by me before publication, so I'm biased😂)
I only discovered Wilfred Owen last year, which is such a shame. The US education system is quite lacking, but that's a story for another day. I've enjoyed what I've read by him.
@@Lokster71 Yes, I would absolutely agree. I was wondering if you are familiar with the book Muse of Fire: World War 1 as Seen Through the Lives of the Soldier Poets by Michael Korda? It was published in April of 2024, I think. I found it in my research yesterday.
I don't suppose you've seen the 2021 film called "Benediction" about the life of Siegfried Sassoon. I saw it at my local independent cinema a couple years ago, and really enjoyed it. The film touched upon Sassoon's friendship with Wilfred Owen, as well. I've been really interested to see how, in recent years, now that all the Great War veterans have gone, historians have begun tackling some of the larger questions of the war in a way that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago. Questions such as, should Great Britain have decided to stay out of the war? Really difficult to see how that would have been possible, it seems to me.
I have seen Benediction, which I enjoyed. Sassoon and Owen's meeting at Craiglockhart holds a fascination for a lot of writers/film makers. On the subject of staying out I think it was impossible. One of the books I'm reading at the moment, Disputed Earth - Geology and Trench Warfare on the Western Front, has a quote from 1915 which in a neat paragraph basically explains why. There's also a clip from 'Yes, Prime Minister' that also does a good job of explaining why.
Wilfred Owen is actually one of my favourite poets. I've got his book on my shelf and it was the only poetry I enjoyed learning at school. I really felt his emotion and the realism in his writing, compared to other poets.
i haven't heard of wilfred owen before! but now i'm excited to read some of his poems!!
Thanks Kiran. Honestly you're so good at actually watching and liking stuff.
Great video, and a wonderful introduction to Owen.
If you've not yet read them, I'd recommend reading all his letters, I think they're better than any biography for getting to know him and really getting to hear his voice (and his sense of humour). It's really hard to get hold of the original complete collected letters now (edited by John Bell and Harold Owen) as it's been out of print for a very long time, but the new Selected Letters has most of his letters in and is very good (edited by Jane Potter - my phd supervisor, and proofread by me before publication, so I'm biased😂)
Thank you. I would like to read the Letters. I'll have to put them on my list.
I only discovered Wilfred Owen last year, which is such a shame. The US education system is quite lacking, but that's a story for another day. I've enjoyed what I've read by him.
I think World War One is culturally less significant for the USA than for the UK.
@@Lokster71 Yes, I would absolutely agree. I was wondering if you are familiar with the book Muse of Fire: World War 1 as Seen Through the Lives of the Soldier Poets by Michael Korda? It was published in April of 2024, I think. I found it in my research yesterday.
@@ariannefowler455 I know of it and I want to read it but it'll have to wait for either library or a gift before I get round to reading it.
I don't suppose you've seen the 2021 film called "Benediction" about the life of Siegfried Sassoon. I saw it at my local independent cinema a couple years ago, and really enjoyed it. The film touched upon Sassoon's friendship with Wilfred Owen, as well.
I've been really interested to see how, in recent years, now that all the Great War veterans have gone, historians have begun tackling some of the larger questions of the war in a way that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago. Questions such as, should Great Britain have decided to stay out of the war? Really difficult to see how that would have been possible, it seems to me.
I have seen Benediction, which I enjoyed. Sassoon and Owen's meeting at Craiglockhart holds a fascination for a lot of writers/film makers.
On the subject of staying out I think it was impossible. One of the books I'm reading at the moment, Disputed Earth - Geology and Trench Warfare on the Western Front, has a quote from 1915 which in a neat paragraph basically explains why. There's also a clip from 'Yes, Prime Minister' that also does a good job of explaining why.