Who's For The Game Jessie Pope Analysis

World War 1 was depicted with many contrasting perspectives. It was regarded as both a glorious and credible cause and as a barbaric battle which devastated lives and souls. This analysis will compare two poems written with completely different intentions. Who’s for the game? is written by Jessie Pope and Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen; the former patriotic, encouraging men to fight for their countries, and the latter in complete contrast, exposing the harsh brutality of war soldiers endured. Both have the same theme of war, but conflicting attitudes, language and messages cause the two to be completely different. This is to be expected, of course, as Dulce Et Decorum Est was directed to Pope in response to Who’s for the Game?. Jessie

‘Who’s for the game’ is an upbeat, optimistic poem which encapsulates Pope’s naive opinion on war, with words to describe the experience as fun, jovial and full of glory despite the prominent danger. Pope described consistent, cheerful imagery, easily comparing war to a football game- a light hearted competition. She also asked an intriguing amount of rhetorical questions, “Who’ll grip and tackle the job unafraid?”(Line 3) to send an accusative message and to inspire guilt and challenging the men who are not serving in the war. Contrastingly, Wilfred Owen discusses the harsh realities of the war by using heavily descriptive language to portray the atmosphere and suffering of the soldiers “curs[ing] through the sludge”(Line 2). The use of similes convey the graphic reality of the soldiers as they are forced to travel by foot, “bent double, like old beggars under sacks”(Line 1). The ghoulish imagery Owen uses is described by figurative language and depressing tones, such as the “green sea”(Line 14) of toxic gas which presents a never ending image in the mind of the reader. The use of tones and descriptive language is present in both poems to convey the desired