Poem Structure
What is the form of Anthem for Doomed Youth?
A Shakespearean sonnet.
Give an example of personification in the poem.
“The monstrous anger of the guns.”
Name one central theme of the poem.
Dehumanization of soldiers, Grief and loss or Critique of romanticized war
What rhyme scheme does the final couplet follow?
GG (a rhyming couplet).
What war did Wilfred Owen fight in?
World War I.
How many lines are in the poem?
14 lines.
What is the effect of the simile “die as cattle”?
It dehumanizes the soldiers and emphasizes their slaughter.
What is an example of dehumanization in the poem?
When Owen compared the soldiers to cattle being slaughtered?
What is the general rhyme scheme of the poem?
ABAB CDCD EFFE GG.
When did Wilfred Owen die in relation to the end of World War I?
One week before the Armistice, in November 1918.
What are the two sections of the poem called in a sonnet?
The octave and the sestet.
What two literary devices are used in the phrase “stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle”?
Alliteration and onomatopoeia.
How does the poem critique romanticized views of war?
He uses the irony of the sonnet to depict the horrors of war.
Why does Wilfred Owen use the traditional sonnet rhyme scheme
he uses it for the irony of the sonnet
What mental health condition did Owen suffer from?
Shell shock (now known as PTSD).
What is the meter used in most lines of the poem?
Iambic pentameter.
Define pararhyme and explain how Owen uses it in the poem.
Pararhyme uses similar consonant sounds but different vowels (e.g., “guns” / “groans”) to create dissonance.
Why is the sonnet form considered ironic in this poem?
Because a form often used for love is used to mourn brutal, impersonal death.
What is consonance, and how does Owen use it in "bells" and "shells" to underscore the poem’s mood?
The consonance are l and s.
What award was Owen given for bravery?
The Military Cross.
Identify one example of a trochaic substitution in the poem and explain its effect.
“Only the monstrous anger of the guns.” — The stressed syllable at the start adds emphasis and urgency.
Explain the effect of caesura in the line “No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells.”
The pause emphasizes finality and the absence of traditional mourning.
Interpret the final line: “Each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.”
It symbolizes mourning, the end of life, and the quiet, personal grief of those left behind.
How does Owen use sound imagery to mimic gunfire?
Through repetitive sounds and alliteration.
Who influenced Owen’s poetry while he was in the hospital?
Siegfried Sassoon.