Exposure- Wilfred Owen

Identify 5/6 examples of language techniques used in this poem. Explain why you think these examples (and techniques) were used. What ideas, experiences, events and atmosphere do they convey?

How is the idea of “exposure” (being dangerously exposed to the natural elements/weather) represented in the poem? How is the weather presented as an enemy?

Definition Exposure: The state of having no protection from something harmful, or, the revelation of something secret, especially something embarrassing or damaging.

Specifically in this poem exposure is referring to the cold and harsh winds of the environment that the men are fighting in, most likely winter in Western Europe. The weather is represented as a knife in the first sentence, “iced east winds that knife us”. It is as though the wind is breaking and piercing their skin so easily as if they were not even there. The men are exposed to cold and harsh weather and the environment takes a large impact along with them. 

“wearied we keep awake because the night is silent”, the soldiers are so tired from fighting yet they can’t sleep at night for the reason that they do not know who could be about to strike. They are constantly exposed to the hidden men on the opposition. An unchanging feeling of fear and worry creeps up the mens cold backs and is just waiting to kick the adreniline through their spines. Every dull moment “worried by silence”, the sound is capturing the soldiers own breath, most likely making them