Religion in Wilfred Owen's Maundy Thursday and Soldier's Dream Anonymous 11th Grade

By: R.T Cardoso Date: 17/03/16 Poem Essay #2 "It would take a power of candle grease and embroidery to Romanize me," written by Wilfred Owen in 1915. What evidence is there for this sentiment in Owen's Poetry? Throughout his poems Owen shows his views of religion, which in various instances is discretely portrayed to be in direct conflict to his daily life. Owen can be noted as having had a strong criticism and dislike towards the power of Catholicism. Owen in addition often attempts to make his poems in a form to teach the reader about his views of religion. This is the case with 'Maundy Thursday' and 'Soldier's Dream,' two poems written by Wilfred Owen. Owen wrote these poems so that he may illustrate the sentiment relating to his attitude towards religion. With illusions, symbolism, parenthetical statement and sarcastic language techniques in both poems there is a contribution to the establishment of Owen's character at the time of war, a time when his sentiment towards religion was impacted so greatly.

Owen demonstrates to the reader his attitude to religious practice by referring to the setting in 'Maundy Thursday' in which "men came up lugubrious, but not sad." The representation of the men as being mournful is in direct...