Wilfred Owen's Response to Propaganda and the Language of War

Abstract

Wilfred Owen was of the opinion that the First World War was prolonged by stirring the fires of patriotism through the use of propaganda. His feelings about this are mirrored constantly in many of his later poems. This article presents a general picture of the state of propaganda and censorship in Britain during the First World War and leads into a study of some of Owen’s poems which reflect his rejection of the hypocritical attitudes of the politicians and clergy of the period. At the same time, Owen’s attempts to counteract the public’s ignorance in such matters become obvious.