How do the writers of World War Literature respond to the theme of death?
… of showing how nature is sympathetic to the emotions of the writer. It adds to the depth of the literature, creating a more profound tone to the texts as it presents the idea that the theme of death in war time is consuming everything, including nature. In Isaac Rosenburg’s ‘Returning, We Hear the Larks’ the landscape is an essential part of the poetry with ‘This poison blasted track opens on our camp’ conveying that the war is not escapable, along with ‘sombre the night is’. The language used is harsh, showing the idea of death and destruction and particularly the use of night seems to provide the idea that the writer is lacking direction, lost in the concept of war. This is echoed in Richard Aldington’s ‘Farewell to Memories’ with ‘the colourless winter dawn hovered mournfully over a desecrated land’ there still remains this uncertain tone that the ‘colourless winter’ …
