Mental Cases by Wilfred Owen
Research one thing that you wanted to learn but did not learn and write about it.
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I did not want to learn anything as I already understood what the poem was about. Owen wrote this poem to describe the gruesome image of the psychological effects the soldiers went through as persons tend to only focus on the physical damage a person receives from going on a battlefield. The poem begins in what appears to be a military hospital, with an emphasis on men suffering from shell shock (which is now referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD). The poem begins with a series of rhetorical questions, asking the reader to think both who these men are and why they are sitting "in twilight." The speaker wonders why these men have been reduced to "shadows" of their former self, spending their days in agony, rocking back and forth and drooling from their open mouths. The gruesome illustration conveys a remarkably vivid sense of the scene inside the hospital to readers. The word purgatory means a a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins before going to heaven. The use of the word purgatory gives readers the idea that the men are barely alive as their mental condition is horrible and painful and they can barely function. I like this poem as Owen's poems are most time set on the battlefield but this one shows what goes on in a war hospital.
ReplyDeleteWhat I wanted to learn but didn't, was the meaning behind the title of the poem, "Mental Cases". According to interestingliterature.com, ‘Mental Cases’ began life as a poem titled ‘The Deranged’ in late 1917, following Wilfred Owen’s famous meeting with fellow war poet Siegfried Sassoon in Craiglockhart Hospital. Encouraged by Sassoon, and partly inspired by his fellow war poet’s poem ‘The Survivors’, Owen set about depicting the terrifying mental landscape of those men fighting in the trenches during the First World War. ‘Mental Cases’ is a powerful evocation and analysis of the psychological effects of the world’s first mass industrial war on the young men who experienced it. According to www.litcharts. com, These men—the “mental cases” of the poem's title—are so troubled by what they've been through that they've essentially become the living dead. The poem argues that the effects of war stretch far beyond the battlefield, and it condemns those who bear responsibility for this suffering and dehumanization.
ReplyDeleteWhat I wanted to learn about was the physical consequences that relates to mental illnesses. I learned about everything I aimed or wanted to learn about. I even learned more. I learned about how they felt (Stroke on stroke of pain but what slow panic), how they looked and behaved lastly how memories can be daunting and a unwanted yet lovely burden to carry (Memory fingers in their hair of murders)
ReplyDeleteOne thing I wanted to know that the poem did not cover was how the soilder's cope with mental issues. Based on health website ways in which persons can treat mental issues is by treat yourself with kindness and respect, and avoid self-criticism and make time for your hobbies and favorite projects. In Wilfred Owen's time the best treatment was to give the soilder's journal to document their thoughts and feelings, who to say Owen work could be his coping mechanism to the hardship suffered in war, his poems was his documentation of this feeling and thoughts on his hellish encounters in war looking at death head on hiding all his fears, his poems are technically his fear written in words. His poem helped him get over his mental issues and probably the same for other soldiers. There was another way in his time that they claim to help people with mental issues called lobotomy by this way is very inhumane and horrific.
ReplyDeleteThe poem " Mental Cases" by Owens is one of the most fascinating yet confusing body of work from him I have seen. The title alone is captivating and made me wonder why he would choose such a name. The name " Mental Cases " doesn't hide behind any covers and it is outright in what the poem is about.
ReplyDeleteHaving done some research i have found that the inspiration for the title came from meeting Seigfried Sassoon. Both were recovering from mental issues due to warfare and Owens had a fascination with how Sasson would express his feelings in his poetry. Following his example he decided to take the plunge and bring awareness to the horrific mental distress warfare inflicted on not only himself but his fellow solidiers. He wanted to be direct like Sassoon as he felt deep regret not having persuaded young men not to take the same path he did.
The poem goes into details about different mental issues affecting military personnel, the poems extensive points how these mental issues affect the soldier and shows war as the cause and that brings back to the general theme of Owen's poetry, the use of the various devices make it easier to grasp his concept and his message is brought across clear and had greater impact, though we did not see a clear way of how they dealt with these "cases" we can imagine that outlets were provided. The poem really reinforced the different aspects of war and PTSD that I already knew about, this was really informative unfortunately it's the harsh reality
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