Wilfred Owen (0) [Paperback]

Jon Stallworthy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 8, 1993 | ISBN-10: 019282211X | ISBN-13: 978-0192822116

Reissued to mark the centenary of Wilfred Owen's birth, this biography is more than a simple account of his life--the childhood spent in the back streets of Birkenhead and Shrewsbury, the appalling months in the trenches--it is an enquiry into the workings of a poet's mind. Reproducing some of Owen's drawings and facsimile manuscripts of many of his greatest poems, this portrait is indispensable to any student of Wilfred Owen and the poetry of the First World War.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the finest biographies of our time."--Graham Greene, Sunday Times

"A worthy memorial to its subject."--Kingsley Amis, Observer

"Jon Stallworthy leads us through the short life of Wilfred Owen with warmth, humanity, scholarliness and authority. A splendid production, its many photographs and copy manuscripts by the poet, often bearing his corrections, ensure our understanding. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, whether one is a student of poetry or just generally interested in the Great War."--Fred Wood, Stand To! Journal of the Western Front Association

About the Author

Jon Stallworthy is Professor of English Literature at Wolfson College, Oxford. He is the author of numerous collections of poetry and works of criticism.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 8, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019282211X
• ISBN-13: 978-0192822116
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,547,725 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening look into the workings of a poet's mind., July 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wilfred Owen (0) (Paperback)

Anyone with an interest in the Great War and/or the poet Wilfred Owen will probably prosper from the reading of this book. Generally the book is an even and unbiased account of the social and poetic development of young Wilfred. Jon Stallworthy does an admirable job tracking Owen from a dreamy and slightly pompous school boy with an itch to be a famous poet into the man who is responsible for such works as: Anthem for Doomed Youth, Dulce Et Decorum Est, and Strange Meeting. The book also hosts a variety of photograghs featuring Owen, his friends, and family.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good biography, June 14, 2001

By 

Guillermo Maynez (Mexico, Distrito Federal Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wilfred Owen (0) (Paperback)

This is as complete a biography as there can be about a peculiar character. The author takes advantage of his friendship with Wilfred Owen's brother Harold, to get access to family documents and memories indispensable to get to know his subject better. The tone of the biography is balanced, objective and critical: it is not an elegy nor an attack.

Now, Wilfred Owen is one of the best poets of WWI, and his carrer is interesting and, above all, intriguing. Up until he's 20 or so, he's not a very likable character. His mother was a prudish Calvinist, tyranical and at times over-protecting, but she also supported Wilfred at every stage, especially in his early ambitions to be a great poet.

The interesting change is the one Wilfred experiences after he decides to volunteer for the Army. He changes, from being a pretentious, pompous and picky young man, to a courageous, strong, enduring leader. This change is best reflected in his attitude towards war itself: at first, he sees war as a glorious thing, a wonderful place to show grandiosity. Then, after bitter experiences, he realizes that war is not wonderful, but horrible, cruel, unjust. So the tone of his poetry changes from epic to lyrical. The interesting thing is that he is against war and its continuation, but in the meantime behaves bravely and disciplined in battle.

Another good thing about this book is its ability to capture the way of life, places, activities and feelings of that era.

This is, then, a book of interest for lovers of poetry and people who like to read about WWI.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent if flawed bio, April 21, 2007

By 

rlanyon42 (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wilfred Owen (0) (Paperback)

Anyone who loves Owen will want to read this biography; it's well-written and engaging and the section devoted to his wartime service is particularly strong. However...there is a refusal by Stallworthy to confront the reality of Owen's sexual nature -- possibly out of respect for Harold Owen, the poet's brother, who provided insights, anecdotes and documents of great value to Stallworthy. Unfortunately Stallworthy must tie himself in knots to avoid labeling Owen homosexual while at the same time citing lines in which Owen makes his physical and romantic desire for men, and the guilt this caused him, quite clear (and the reader is left with the strong impression that Stallworthy knows the score but doesn't feel he can present it honestly). A more recent biography of Owen, by Dominic Hibberd, deals frankly with this critical facet of the poet's nature (which had immense impact on his art and his life in the trenches), as well as being a very well-researched and well-written work all around. If an individual were to read only one biography of Wilfred Owen, I would therefore recommend that he or she choose Hibberd's version. But for anyone who truly loves and admires Owen, Stallworthy's study is highly recommended --Stallworthy provides a fascinating if incomplete picture of the poet; I would suggest reading this first and then moving on to Hibberd.