Dulce, Suicide - Voice

my voice is telling me to stop

Owen's voice (Introduction)

traumatised survivor and eyewitness; vivid recollections expose the horrors of combat

Sassoon's voice (Introduction)

critical and condemnatory voice; highlights the devastating impact of war on ordinary soldiers and condemns those who glorify it

Important idea

war is destructive rather than glorious

Topic sentence P1

Through confronting imagery, degrading comparisons and distinctive poetic voices, Owen and Sassoon shape the audience's understanding of the physical suffering endured by soldiers during war.

Owen's voice P1

traumatised eyewitness who directly recounts the horrors he has experienced

"old beggars" and "coughing like hags"

vulnerable figures; weak, exhausted and physically broken rather than courageous heroes; Owen's voice dehumanises soldiers and challenges glorified views of war

Comparative 1 P1

Similarly, Sassoon employs a critical and realistic voice to expose the harsh conditions that define military service.

"crumps" and "lice"

emphasises relentless discomfort and deprivation; war consists not of glory but constant hardship

Comparative 2 P1

While Owen's eyewitness voice immerses readers in suffering as it occurs, Sassoon's reflective voice draws attention to the conditions that create such suffering.

"winter trenches"

association of winter with coldness and discomfort; physical agony is prolonged and inescapable

Comparative 3 P1

In contrast, Owen's voice becomes increasingly urgent during the gas attack.

"guttering, choking, drowning"

triplet and present participles prolong agony; Owen's vivid eyewitness voice forces audiences to experience the brutality alongside the speaker

Paragraph link P1

Owen's traumatised eyewitness voice and Sassoon's critical realist voice shape the audience's understanding of war as a source of extreme physical suffering rather than honour or glory.

Topic sentence P2

Both poets further use voice to shape the audience's understanding of the severe psychological damage caused by warfare.

Sassoon's voice P2

sympathetic and reflective voice; emphasises the tragic destruction of a young soldier's innocence

"simple soldier boy" who "whistled" with the lark

natural imagery conveys youth, optimism and innocence

"cowed and glum"

"cowed" implies emotional submission; war has crushed his identity and resilience; Sassoon's sympathetic voice presents the soldier as a victim of war

Comparative 1 P2

While Sassoon illustrates trauma through the soldier's gradual decline, Owen adopts the voice of a traumatised survivor to reveal the enduring nature of psychological suffering.

"all my dreams"

memories of war continue to haunt his consciousness; first-person voice creates a personal perspective; audiences gain direct access to the speaker's torment

Comparative 2 P2

Thus, while Sassoon portrays trauma as gradually destroying the soldier during war, Owen reveals how it continues to torment those who survive.

"put a bullet through his brain"

matter-of-fact tone reflects Sassoon's critical voice; such suffering has become a common reality of war

Comparative 3 P2

In contrast, Owen's survivor voice reveals that even those who live are unable to escape the emotional consequences of conflict.

Paragraph link P2

Sassoon's sympathetic voice and Owen's confessional survivor voice shape the audience's understanding of war as a force that inflicts profound and lasting psychological harm.

Topic sentence P3

Through accusatory and confrontational voices, Owen and Sassoon shape the audience's understanding of society's role in sustaining false perceptions of war.

Sassoon's voice P3

critical and condemning voice directed at civilians

"smug-faced crowds"

contemptuous tone; "smug-faced" suggests self-satisfied ignorance of soldiers' suffering

"cheer" for "soldier lads"

"lads" emphasises youth and vulnerability; exposes the disconnect between public enthusiasm and the realities of war

Comparative 1 P3

Sassoon's condemning voice encourages audiences to question why society celebrates a conflict that destroys young lives.

Comparative 2 P3

Similarly, Owen adopts a confrontational voice that directly challenges the patriotic ideology used to justify warfare.

"the old Lie"

definite article "the" presents deception as universal and enduring; capitalisation of "Lie" emphasises anger and rejection of patriotic propaganda; adjective "old" suggests misconceptions have been accepted for generations

Comparative 3 P3

Unlike Sassoon, who condemns civilians directly, Owen's voice attacks the broader beliefs that allow such attitudes to exist.

Paragraph link P3

Through their accusatory and confrontational voices, both poets encourage audiences to question society's romanticised perceptions of conflict and recognise the devastating reality of war.

Owen's voice (Conclusion)

traumatised eyewitness and survivor voice; immerses audiences in the physical and psychological horrors of combat

Sassoon's voice (Conclusion)

critical, sympathetic and condemning voice; exposes the suffering of soldiers and the hypocrisy of those who glorify conflict

Overall effect

both poets use voice to reveal physical suffering, lasting trauma and societal ignorance; challenge romanticised perceptions of warfare; behind every patriotic ideal lies the suffering of real individuals; encourages audiences to recognise war's devastating human cost