Analysis of the poem A strange Meeting Essay

In the elegy â€Å"strange Meeting â€Å", Owen brings the horrors of wars and their devastating effect on those involved, he emphasizes their part in hindering the world from progress . War and death are presented in this poem through the story of two dead soldiers ,who fought on opposite sides , and who meet again in Hell . They speak of their shared hopefulness of the â€Å"undone years † . Owen’s manipulation of words and his use of artistic devices in the poem takes the reader to a vivid awareness of the real dreadfulness of battles and death. The speaker in the poem ,who is a soldier, starts the poem by saying that he seemed to † escape† the battle to somewhere else , a place he discovers later to be Hell . The mere use of the word † escape † implies that the speaker was trapped in war before he escapes to Hell which is , when compared to battle, a relief. Owen says that common words associated with wars like chivalry , courage and gallantry do not describe wars, not really, instead war is pain , sorrow and loss . He emphasizes on the destructiveness of wars to those involved . He says † yet also there encumbered sleepers groaned † , so they are † encumbered † physically with their uniforms and sacks and emotionally with too much sadness and sorrow brought to them by war . Those sleepers are † too fast in thought or death † to be stirred . One of those sleepers † sprang up † from death and smiles , although he smiles but still it is a smile of death . That man recognizes the speaker for he, the speaker, is the one who killed him as we know later in the poem . The poet describes this other man’s face as † grained † with † a thousand pains â€Å", pains from his previous life and past experiences in battle . Now they are in Hell , a place of anguish and despair , a place where shouts of pain and torment is expected , but oh no , not in this poem . Hell is a quit place where there is silence † yet no blood reached there from the upper ground † † and no guns thumped , or down the flues made moan † . So Own draws a picture of silence in Hell and contrasts this picture with battle where noise, blood and moans are everywhere . The speaker says about Hell that † here is no cause to mourn † no more grief or sadness . The stranger agrees with him † None † as if they are both relieved that it finally Al Neghaimshi 2 ended , finally they will rest . † Save the undone years , the hopelessness † This is their only regret . They shared so many in the past , the two of them , similar lives , experiences and similar horrors and pains that they could be called â€Å"friends † in spite of the fact that they are actually strangers . â€Å"Strange Friend † as paradoxical as it seems but still true , † Whatever hope is yours , was my life also † . Owen argues that wars † trek† the nations from progress and he calls it † retreating world † . The poet says † when much blood had clogged their chariot-wheels † he would go and † wash them † . Owen takes into his hands as a poet † to warn † as he said himself once , † Even with truths that lies too deep † . He says he will do it † not through wounds ; not on the cess of war † , so it is not through innocent people , not through wars that destroys the lives of many . † Forehead of men have bled where no wounds were † that’s a clear indication to the myth of Christ which says that before he was crucified his body sweat blood , He was the one who paid for the sins of the humankind and so are those men paying their lives in wars whom foreheads † bled where no wounds were † . † I am the enemy you killed , my friend † a beautiful line towards the end of the poem . Although we stand in life different and enemies , but we shared the same experience and will share the same destiny . He closes the poem by saying † let us sleep now ..† let us finally rest and forget the horrors and pains . So ironic of Owen to let his protagonist finally rest in † Hell† . Aren’t people who fight for their countries are supposed to be martyrs and go to Heaven ? It is Owen’s way of doubting the cause which wars stand for , the cause after all is false . Owen by letting his two protagonist rest in Hell , he also conveys the message that Mankind must seek reconciliation , stop this bloodshed , they must embrace pity and love for each other . Owen writes this beautiful elegy that talks about war and death , but what is most ironical is that he himself dies in war .