In English literature an owl usually indicates that death and tragedy are close at hand.
As the world descended into The Great War, a freshly enlisted Edward Thomas drew upon this literary tradition to create "The Owl." In this video we'll use historical and biographical criticism to read, summarize, and analyze one of the most unique and haunting war poems of all time.
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Downhill I came, hungry, and yet not starved;
Cold, yet had heat within me that was proof
Against the North wind; tired, yet so that rest
Had seemed the sweetest thing under a roof.
Then at the inn I had food, fire, and rest,
Knowing how hungry, cold, and tired was I.
All of the night was quite barred out except
An owl’s cry, a most melancholy cry
Shaken out long and clear upon the hill,
No merry note, nor cause of merriment,
But one telling me plain what I escaped
And others could not, that night, as in I went.
And salted was my food, and my repose,
Salted and sobered, too, by the bird’s voice
Speaking for all who lay under the stars,
Soldiers and poor, unable to rejoice.
1915 (composed); 1917 (published)
Sources:
www.theguardia...
www.poetryfoun...
rpo.library.ut...
daily.jstor.or...
15 окт 2024
