Analyze the poem "They" by Siegfried Sassoon.

This is one of Sassoon's most cynical poems. Sassoon opposed the war so violently that he threw his Military Cross into the Mersey in protest and was sent to a convalescent hospital after a military court decided that he was out of his mind with neurasthenia, or "shell-shock." Sassoon's conviction that the war was an unjust one often manifested itself in anger against civilians, whom he felt could not understand—and often did not seem to want to understand—what was really happening on the Front. The title of this poem, "They," is an expression of this distinction Sassoon draws between soldiers and those at home: them and us.

The words of the Bishop in this poem, then, are a parody of what Sassoon and other returning soldiers had heard from the pulpit. The regular, almost childlike rhythm of the poem is reflective of the idea that this is, for the clergymen of Great Britain, purely patter. They do not really know what they are talking about, but bombastic, cliched phrases such as "just cause," "honourable race," and the concept of having "challenged Death" are utilized regularly to encourage patriotism at home. To the Bishop, and all others who are unfamiliar with the real state of affairs, the enemy is "Anti-Christ."

The soldiers, however, know better. The enemy are only men like them, and there is nothing honorable about this war. In forthright, robust terms, the soldiers list what transformations they have actually undergone as a result of their endeavors; they have lost their limbs, gone "stone blind," and even become "syphilitic." (This line in particular stirred criticism at the time of publication; it was considered an affront to the war effort to refer to soldiers' use of prostitutes.) The soldiers put their case very clearly to the Bishop, but he does not want to hear it -- instead, he simply says, in the same euphemistic tone, "the ways of God are strange!"

The poem is an expression of frustration on behalf of soldiers who have suffered in what Sassoon considered a greatly unjust war, and whose supposed spiritual leaders at home not only refuse to acknowledge their reality, but also continue to promulgate lies about the "honor" of war.

Analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon.

Sassoon uses metaphor and paradox to convey the idea that war brings soldiers so close to death that they learn to see anything to do with life, including war, as beautiful. In the first stanza, the speaker says that the pain of life on earth sets free the eyes of the soldiers so that they can only see beauty. War is compared, metaphorically, to a scourge, an affliction or weapon of punishment that causes pain, so that, ironically, people fighting for their own freedom actually find that they are already free. This paradox—that one fights for a freedom and yet is already possessed of freedom—hinges on the idea that there is political or social freedom, for which they might fight, and the personal freedom that one gains when one achieves a certain perspective. The pain of conflict passes away for these men because they realize that "Time's but a golden wind that shakes the grass": another metaphor, this one comparing time to a brief and beautiful breeze that comes and quickly goes. They understand and accept mortality in a way that no other can because they face it each moment. The speaker admits that there was a time when they only desired to remain alive, but now that they have experienced this "heritage of heart," this inheritance or legacy of perspective, they need nothing more than to be with their fellows in this moment.

Analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon.

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems.

This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the verb form is "absolve," meaning "forgive."

So, this is a poem about war; it's saying that war is essentially a terrible sin that brings destruction to humanity and to the earth, but when it's over--when we forgive ourselves for the sin of war-- we're left with more wisdom, freedom, and happiness than we had before, and we find a deeper understanding about how valuable time is and how fast it goes by. Whether you believe the speaker is expressing these sentiments genuinely or is stating them ironically (and therefore parodying other sappy war poetry) is a matter of personal interpretation.

The speaker uses basic but powerful diction ("wise," "free, "heart," "brothers") and one simple metaphor ("Time's but a golden wind that shakes the grass"). However, you might criticize the speaker for relying also on vague, emotion-laden terms like "anguish," "beauty," "horror," and "heritage."

Each stanza follows an ABAB rhyme scheme ("eyes/see/wise/free," "foe/pass/know/grass," "part/others/heart/brothers") and most lines feature ten smooth and rhythmic syllables. You might liken this simple, plodding rhythm to a marching song or even a lullaby.

Analyse the poem 'They' by Siegfried Sassoon.Please include themes, symbols, style, poetic technique (biography not necessary unless it is relevant to the poem)

Before writing an essay on the analysis of the poem 'They' by First World War English poet Siegfried Sassoon, it's a good idea to make some notes, going through the poem line by line (and never forgetting a poem's title - it can sometimes tell us a lot!)

Ideas to get you started:

Title - Who are the 'They?'

Where is Sassoon when he is listening/reading the Bishop's words?

Is the tone respectful or satirical/mocking?

Mention when the themes of war/religion/nationalism creep in - use quotes.

Who or what do the Germans symbolise?

Is the style formal,joky,free, structured, consider verses,stanzas.

Look at and quote the places where the poem rhymes. Comment on what effect this has on the reader.

The dialog changes in style and tone - where? And why? What does this represent? Compare it to the bishop's words and comment on the contrast.

Finish by mentioning the exclamation mark at the end!