The Agony of War: Honor or Misery

What is the cost for liberty or the price for domination? Most of us say sacrifice: the sacrifice of innocent persons’ welfare. To earn freedom or gain control, an individual’s welfare must be surrendered in order to fight for his homeland. Their welfare is replaced with severe mental anguish, unceasing terror, agonizing physical pain, and death. These traumas are suffered both by a volunteering patriot or a reluctant recruit. The only difference between the …

…bravery and patriotism, more or less ignoring the hardships that individual soldiers had to endure. His intention seems to be to draw men’s desires to become a part of war. On the other hand, Owen intends to remind people that war is never glorious. His bitterness towards war is clearly defined in his poem. To die for one’s country may be an act of honor, but to earn that honor is never sweet.