AQA English GCSE Poetry: Exposure Overview

The poem 'Exposure' by Wilfred Owen vividly portrays the relentless horrors of trench warfare, particularly the constant threat of enemy attacks and the harsh, brutal conditions that soldiers endured.

The poem 'Exposure' is written from the perspective of a soldier experiencing the hardships of trench warfare. The use of 'I' directly addresses the reader and creates a sense of shared experience.

Owen's poems challenge the romanticized view of war, revealing its brutal realities and the suffering it inflicts. He exposes the 'old lie' of war as a glorious adventure, showing the profound impact on the minds and bodies of soldiers.

Wilfred Owen's personal experiences in the trenches heavily influenced the writing of 'Exposure'. He himself was a soldier during the First World War and fought in the trenches.

The poem 'Exposure' serves as a powerful reminder of the impact of war on individuals, not just on those who directly experience it. It highlights the devastating effects of prolonged conflict on the human psyche.

The use of multiple words beginning with the same consonant sound. It creates a sense of urgency, emphasis, and rhythm, making the phrase harder to say quickly.

A list of words without any conjunctions (like "and" or "but"). It creates a fast pace, feeling of chaos, or urgency.

Figuratively giving human qualities to non-human things, like animals or nature. Here, it creates a sense of menace and foreshadowing.

The use of repeated sounds, especially 's' sounds. It creates a hissing or whispering effect, adding to the eerie and sinister atmosphere.

A rhetorical question is asked to make a point or provoke thinking, not to get an answer.

The psychological impact of war is a central theme in the poem, as indicated by the opening reference to "brains."

The reference to "brains" could be interpreted in multiple ways: physically, referencing the pain of cold, or mentally, reflecting the trauma of witnessing death.

The consistent rhyme scheme emphasizes the monotony of war, similar to the regular stanzas.

The consistent rhyme scheme contrasts with the simple fifth line, creating an anti-climax. This reflects the soldiers' constant vigilance and the absence of action.

The pararhyme between "winds that knife us" and "curious, nervous" creates an underlying atmosphere of unease.

The pararhyme leaves the reader anticipating a complete rhyme, mirroring the soldiers' anxious anticipation of battle.

The unconventional use of rhyming suggests that the poem is barely holding itself together, just like the soldiers are barely coping.

The chaotic structure of the poem mirrors the chaos and panic of war.

The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

A pause or break in a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation.

The use of three dots (...) to indicate an omission, a pause, or an incomplete thought.

A literary device that uses the repetition of consonant sounds, often at the beginning of words.

The repeated use of the phrase "but nothing happens" emphasizes the futility of war, highlighting the unchanging situation despite the soldiers' suffering.

The speaker's question, "what are we doing here?" reflects the soldiers' confusion and questioning of the purpose and pointlessness of their sacrifice.

The use of religious imagery and references to the soldiers' morality and their duty to protect the innocent at home.