Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Owen, arguably the best poet of World War I, wrote poetry that was breathtaking and critical of the brutality of war. This was in sharp contrast to how the general population at the time perceived war. The first time Owen became interested in poetry was in 1904, while on vacation in Cheshire. Bible scriptures and popular romantic poets of the day, particularly P.B. Shelly and John Keats, were early inspirations for him. When war broke out in the summer of 1914, he was working as a teacher's assistant and teaching English to kids close to Bordeaux, France. He stayed out of the war in the early going, but as it wore on, he began to feel pressured and remorseful, so he went back to England and signed up for the army on October 21, 1915. As a second lieutenant in the Manchester Regiment by the middle of 1916, Owen was serving on the front lines in France. He was admitted to a hospital shortly afterward due to shell shock and forged a close bond with fellow poet Siegfried Sassoon there. Sassoon would have a significant impact on his creative output.

In August 1918, Owen was sent back to the trenches after finishing his therapy. His most productive phase as a war poet began at this point, which included the classic poems "Anthem for Doomed Youth", "Futility", "Strange Meeting", and "Dulce et Decorum Est". During an operation in September, he managed to take down an opposing machine gun post and was given the Military Cross in recognition of his actions. On November 4th, 1918, he was killed in combat while attempting to cross the Sambre-Oise Canal. The Armistice that ended the war was signed exactly one week after this incident.

Lifespan: March 18, 1893 – November 4, 1918

Nation: Britain