A Preface to Wilfred Owen

This book presents a brief, yet comprehensive biography of Wilfred Owen, placing his work in the cultural and historical context of the early twentieth century. Owen is now perceived to be a permanent part of our consciousness of the First World War, and this text provides a necessary revision of this great poet and his background in such light. The first few chapters provide important biographical information on Owen, considering his life both before enlisting and during the war. They discuss crucial aspects to understanding Owen's work, such as the poetry and painting that influenced his writing, and the period of national mourning after the war. The study also makes suitable reference to other war poets such as Sassoon, and considers the influence that such poetry had on Owen's own writing. The second half of the book provides detailed analyses of ten of his major poems including 'Song of Songs' and 'Strange Meeting', and aims to clarify the stages of his poetic career. Finally, a detailed reference section is included to assist further study. The text is aimed at A level and undergraduate students studying courses such as twentieth-century poetry, and the First World War poets. The content will also serve as a useful guide to all who are interested in reading about the background to this great poet.