Suffering and Sympathy: The Aftermath of War in "War Blinded" and "Six Young Men" Jennifer Davies 12th Grade

Arguably, both poets present a sense of prestige and admiration towards those who participated in WW1, using hindsight as post-war poets to reflect upon the horrors endured by soldiers and to remind more modern readers of the utmost respect these men deserved. Dunn’s poetry in general tends to express pacifist attitudes, which is no different in his poem “War Blinded”. The poem’s narrative describes a soldier become an old man, blinded and living in a care home, and a younger person observing him from a distance. The poem reflects the idea that this person admires the older man even though, being from a different generation, they cannot ever relate to the terrors he has encountered in his life. Similarly, Ted Hughes’ poem “Six Young Men” explores post-war reflection and the futility of the lives lost, all through the idea of these lives being preserved in memory and photograph. It feels almost memorial-esque to such men and their sacrifices. Hughes’ own father made up one of only 2 percent of men who survived the war within his regiment, perhaps influencing his son’s perception of the brutality and futility of war, and the importance of remembering those who were lost.

Interestingly, both poems reflect the importance of...