mournful sight of girls waiting in vain for their doomed lovers to return home to them. The combined effect of these images is one in which the reader experiences the despair and meaninglessness of war. This effect is enhanced by the level of usage which is found in OwenÆs poem. OwenÆs use of the colloquial language of soldiers in battle is contrasted with the formal language of priests in funeral rites. This use of language gives emphasis to the poetÆs theme, in which the agony of warfare is reflected in the religious sacraments of burial.
The message of ôAnthem for Doomed Youthö is further expressed by OwenÆs skillful use of the elements of sound. Some of the lines of the poem create cacophony, such as: ôOnly the stuttering riflesÆ rapid rattleö (Line 3), and ôThe shrill, demented choirs of wailing shellsö (Line 7). These lines give the reader a feeling of the terror which is experienced on the battlefield. Onomatopoeia is used to enhance the sonic effect of warfare. Thus, the rifles are said to ôrattleö and ôpatter,ö whereas the shells are called ôshrillö and ôwailing.ö Other lines in the sonnet are more euphonious, such as: ôWhat candles may be held to speed them all?ö (Line 9), and ôThe pallor of girlsÆ brows shall be their pallö (Line 12). These lines are more serene than those pertaining to the battlefield; in addition, they express a sense of sadness and loss rathe
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