Exposure

• What do the brains ache from in "Exposure" by Wilfred Owen?

  Merciless iced east winds
• How is nature depicted in the line "Our brains ache, in the merciless iced east winds that knive us"?

  As an enemy causing suffering
• What technique is used to emphasize the cruelty of the weather in "Exposure"?

  Personification of the wind
• What inspired Owen's graphic depictions in "Exposure"?

  His WWI experiences
• What does the phrase "But nothing happens" reflect in "Exposure"?

  The monotony and despair of war
• What literary technique is used in the line "But nothing happens"?

  Refrain – repetition
• How does the refrain "But nothing happens" contribute to the poem's theme?

  It reinforces stagnation and hopelessness
• How does "Exposure" contrast with patriotic WWI poetry?

  It highlights the grim reality of soldiers’ lives
• What does the line "For love of God seems dying" suggest about the soldiers' feelings?

  They feel abandoned by religion
• What technique contrasts the soldiers’ suffering with ideals of faith in "Exposure"?

  Religious imagery
• How did Owen's faith influence his writing during the war?

  He struggled with his faith
• What are the main themes presented in "Exposure" by Wilfred Owen?

  • Suffering from nature and war
  • Monotony and despair of trench life
  • Abandonment by faith
  • Contrast with patriotic narratives