Contrast Used in Poem Disabled

Contrast in poem Disabled

The main technique used in the poem is contrast, which makes the fate of the young man more pitiful. The contrast of mood and tone is used in the first and second stanza, which creates a change of mood. In the first stanza words like "ghastly" and phrases like, "saddening like a hymn", are used by Owen to create a dull and depressing mood, the use of the word 'hymn' conveys the theme of death at a funeral, which represents the soldiers present life in which he is stuck in. Then in the second stanza words like "gay" are used to create a mood that is very happy and joyful, which represented the mans past life, before the injury. Contrast is also related to the irony in the poem. Firstly, before his injury all the girls loved him and were after him. One of the main reasons he went to war was to "please his Meg". But after returning with his injury girls no longer seemed interested. "Now he will never feel again how slim girls waists are, or how warm their subtle hands, all of them touch him like some queer disease." The poet turned the human into disease. Secondly, irony is used in the second stanza. Before he went to war he "liked a blood smear down his leg" as if it made him feel strong and powerful. He liked to show his scars off, so people thought he was brave. Now his real wounds leave him disabled and nobody cared for him. Powerful visual images used in the third stanza emphasize this point. "A leap of purple spurted from his thigh." This describes his injury dramatically. Imagery is used in the third stanza, which creates atmosphere and feeling. "Poured", like his life is poured away. The powerful visual images created by Owen in the third stanza are contrasted by the glamorous images created in the fourth stanza. In the third stanza the man thought that going to war would be great. He didn't know

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