Wilfred Owen - An Antiwar Poet

Wilfred Owen became popular as a poet because of his poetic creation 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'. He, in this poem , vehemently criticizes the war taking it as a 'leading way' for the youth to grave. It is quite ironical and really a blunder of his fate that he too was killed in action in the battle field at a very early age.

He was born in 1893 in Shropsgire. His family moved to Birkenhead in his childhood but returned to Shrewsbury later. He was the eldest of the family. He was an Anglican. During his school days, he was bright in his studies. He passed matriculation of the University of London. As the first career in his life, Owen worked as a teacher. In 1915, he was commissioned in the Manchester Regiment and was sent to the Front France at the end of same year. After periods at home, he returned to the front and paradoxically, was awarded the Military Cross.

Wilfred Owen was killed in action shortly before the Armistice in November 1918. It was quite pathetic that Owen bade goodbye to his life at a very young age and he was killed one week before the Armistice, the agreement for the ceasefire was signed. After composing the poem "Anthem For doomed youth" Wilfred Owen wrote a preface for it. It reads as follows...

"My Subject is war and the pity of war; The poetry is in the pity.
This is pathetic as well as ironic because the cruel war cost his life too."

Wilfred Owen , undoubtedly the greatest of war can be consider as as anti war poet. He was commissioned in the Manchester Regiment in 1916 and was sent to the Front in France. He was awarded the Military Cross although he practically rejected the war. He was killed in action in 1918. He enjoyed a short life of only 35 years . In his poetry, he always portrayed the horrors of the war. He once said

"My subject is war , and the pity of war.."