BS English 7

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Futility by Wilfred Owen

Summary of “Futility” by Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Owen’s “Futility” is a poignant and reflective poem that laments the death of a soldier during
World War I while questioning the purpose of life and the senselessness of war.

The poem begins with the speaker urging his comrades to move a fallen soldier into the sunlight, hoping
its warmth might revive him. The speaker recalls how the sun once gave the soldier life and energy,
awakening him at home and even in the harsh battlefields of France. The sun, a symbol of life and
vitality, is now powerless to rouse him, highlighting the finality of death.

As the speaker reflects, he contemplates the broader purpose of creation. The sun, which nurtures seeds
and once brought life to Earth, seems futile in its efforts if life is destined to end in such tragedy and
waste. The soldier’s death leads the speaker to question whether humanity’s growth and evolution were
meant to culminate in the horrors of war. The poem ends on a despairing note, suggesting that life itself
may be futile if it only leads to suffering and death.

Wilfred Owen’s “Futility” line-by-line explanation of the poem:

1. Move him into the sun—

The speaker refers to a soldier who has been struck down and lies lifeless. “Move him into the sun” is an
appeal to revive him with warmth and light, symbolizing life and hope.

2. Gently its touch awoke him once,

The sun, personified as a gentle force, had previously brought life and energy to the soldier, perhaps
during his youth or earlier in his life.

3. At home, whispering of fields unsown.

This recalls a time of peace and productivity when the soldier was “at home,” working on or dreaming of
farming. The “fields unsown” symbolize unfulfilled potential or the unfinished business of life.
 4. Always it woke him, even in France,

Despite the grim realities of war, the sun’s warmth and light have been a constant source of life and
awakening for him, even in the bleak battlefields of France during World War I.

5. Until this morning and this snow.

The present moment contrasts starkly with the life-giving sun. “This morning” signifies the soldier’s
death, and “this snow” represents coldness, death, and the futility of trying to revive him.

6. If anything might rouse him now

The speaker begins to question if anything at all can bring the soldier back to life, hinting at despair and
the inevitability of death.

7. The kind old sun will know.

The sun, once a symbol of life and nurturing, is now invoked almost helplessly. There’s a faint hope that it
might “know” how to restore the soldier, but this hope is tinged with doubt.

8. Think how it wakes the seeds—

The speaker reflects on the sun’s natural power to bring life, as it does by awakening seeds and causing
them to grow.

9. Woke, once, the clays of a cold star.

This line references the sun’s role in creation, perhaps alluding to the origins of life on Earth (“the clays
of a cold star”). It emphasizes the sun’s life-giving power on a cosmic scale.

10. Are limbs, so dear-achieved, are sides,

The speaker laments the human body, so painstakingly and lovingly created (“dear-achieved”), now lying
lifeless and cold. It underscores the tragedy of losing such a unique creation.

11. Full-nerved, still warm, too hard to stir?

The soldier’s body is still warm and full of vitality, making his death feel even more incomprehensible and
tragic. It raises a sense of disbelief that life could be so easily extinguished.

12. Was it for this the clay grew tall?

This line questions the purpose of human evolution and growth. Was the development of humanity
(“the clay grew tall”) all for the futility of war and death?

13. —O what made fatuous sunbeams toil

The speaker bitterly questions why the sun worked so hard (“toiled”) to nurture life, only for it to end in
such meaningless death.

14. To break earth’s sleep at all?

The final line questions the very act of creation. If life ultimately ends in such pointless suffering and
death, why was life created at all? It encapsulates the poem’s existential despair.
Q. 1. Figures of speech in the poem.

Wilfred Owen’s “Futility” employs a variety of figures of speech to enhance its emotional impact and
convey its profound themes. Below is an analysis of the main figures of speech in the poem:

1. Personification

“Move him into the sun”

The sun is personified as a life-giving force, almost like a gentle healer capable of reviving the soldier.

“Gently its touch awoke him once”

The sun’s touch is described as gentle, human-like, emphasizing its nurturing and life-giving qualities.

“The kind old sun”

The sun is given human attributes of kindness and wisdom, portraying it as a benevolent yet powerless
entity in the face of death.

2. Metaphor

“At home, whispering of fields unsown”

The “fields unsown” metaphorically represent the soldier’s unfulfilled potential and life cut short by war.

“The clays of a cold star”

The phrase metaphorically refers to the Earth, emphasizing its humble beginnings and connection to
human life, as if humans were formed from clay.

3. Symbolism

The Sun:

Symbolizes life, hope, and regeneration. Its inability to revive the soldier highlights the inevitability and
finality of death.

Snow:

Represents coldness, death, and futility. The contrast between the warm sun and the cold snow
underscores the tragedy of the soldier’s death.

Fields:

Symbolize life, growth, and potential, contrasting with the sterility and destruction of the battlefield.
 4. Alliteration

“Full-nerved, still warm, too hard to stir”

The repetition of the “s” sound emphasizes the soldier’s physical vitality, making his death seem even
more tragic.

“Fields unsown”

The repetition of “f” draws attention to the theme of unfulfilled life and potential.

5. Contrast.

“At home” vs. “in France”

The peaceful, nurturing environment of home contrasts with the cold, deadly battlefield in France.

“This morning and this snow”

The warmth and life implied by “morning” are starkly contrasted with the cold and lifelessness of
“snow.”

6. Rhetorical Questions

“Was it for this the clay grew tall?”

A rhetorical question that expresses disbelief and despair, questioning the purpose of human existence if
it ends in such futility.

“O what made fatuous sunbeams toil / To break earth’s sleep at all?”

Another rhetorical question challenging the meaning of creation and life itself, suggesting that existence
may be meaningless.

7. Imagery

“Move him into the sun”

Evokes a vivid image of a lifeless body being brought into the sunlight, symbolizing an attempt to restore
life.

“At home, whispering of fields unsown”

Creates a peaceful, pastoral image of life before the war, filled with potential and tranquility.

“This snow”

Conveys the cold, stark environment of death, enhancing the emotional impact of the soldier’s
lifelessness.

8. Irony

“The kind old sun will know”

There is irony in attributing kindness and wisdom to the sun, which, despite its nurturing qualities, is
powerless to save the soldier.

9. Repetition

“Woke”

The repetition of the word “woke” emphasizes the life-giving power of the sun, contrasting with its
inability to wake the soldier now.

10. Apostrophe

“O what made fatuous sunbeams toil”

The poet directly addresses the sun and the universe, questioning the purpose of their efforts in creating
life.

11. Enjambment

The poem frequently uses enjambment, where sentences flow from one line to the next without pause,
reflecting the continuous flow of the speaker’s thoughts and the unresolved nature of the questions
posed.

12. Juxtaposition

“Gently its touch awoke him once” vs. “Until this morning and this snow”

Juxtaposes the sun’s warmth and life-giving power with the cold, lifeless snow, emphasizing the futility of
trying to bring the soldier back.

Q. 2. Themes in the poem.

1. Futility of War

The central theme of the poem is the senselessness and wastefulness of war. The death of the soldier is
portrayed as tragic and unnecessary, highlighting how war destroys lives and potential.

Owen critiques the conflict by contrasting the soldier’s vibrant past with his lifeless present, asking if his
life and death served any meaningful purpose.

2. The Fragility and Brevity of Life

Life is depicted as fragile and fleeting, easily extinguished despite its complexity and beauty. The soldier,
once full of life, is now cold and unresponsive, illustrating the fragility of human existence.

3. Nature’s Power and Limitations

The poem reflects on nature’s life-giving force, particularly through the sun, which symbolizes warmth,
vitality, and creation.

However, the sun’s inability to revive the soldier emphasizes the limitations of nature in the face of
death, suggesting that even natural forces cannot undo the destruction caused by war.
 4. Unfulfilled Potential

The reference to “fields unsown” symbolizes the soldier’s unfinished life and the broader loss of young
lives in war. The poem mourns the wasted potential of individuals whose futures were destroyed by
conflict.

5. Existential Questioning

Owen questions the purpose of life and creation. The lines “Was it for this the clay grew tall?” and “O
what made fatuous sunbeams toil / To break earth’s sleep at all?” express a deep philosophical despair
about the meaning of life if it ultimately ends in such meaningless death.

6. The Contrast Between Life and Death

The poem juxtaposes the warmth and life-giving properties of the sun with the coldness and finality of
death. This contrast emphasizes the emotional impact of the soldier’s death and the inevitability of
mortality.

7. The Cosmic Scale of Human Tragedy

By referencing the origins of life on Earth (“the clays of a cold star”), Owen connects the soldier’s death
to the larger existential tragedy of human existence, questioning the purpose of life in a universe
indifferent to individual suffering.

8. Loss and Grief

The poem reflects personal grief for the fallen soldier while also expressing collective mourning for all
lives lost in war. The speaker’s sorrow underscores the emotional toll of war on humanity.

Q. 3. Critical Analysis of “Futility” by Wilfred Owen

Structure

The poem consists of two stanzas with 7 lines each.

The first stanza introduces a personal and tender scene where the speaker asks for a soldier’s body to be
moved into the sun, hoping its warmth will revive him.

The second stanza transitions to a philosophical reflection, questioning the meaning of life and creation
in the face of death.

The poem is written in iambic pentameter with irregularities, reflecting the emotional turmoil of the
speaker.

The rhyme scheme is irregular, with half-rhymes (e.g., “seeds” and “star”) that add to the somber and
contemplative tone.
Style

1. Simple and Lyrical Language:

The poem uses straightforward yet evocative language to convey deep emotions.

Words like “gently,” “whispering,” and “kind” create a tender, almost sacred tone in the first stanza.

2. Imagery:

Owen employs natural imagery, such as the “kind old sun” and “fields unsown,” to juxtapose life and
death.

The sun becomes a symbol of life and creation, contrasting with the cold lifelessness of the soldier.

3. Symbolism:

The sun symbolizes the giver of life, warmth, and hope, but also serves as a metaphor for the futility of
nature’s efforts in the face of war.

4. Contrast:

The contrast between the gentle, nurturing imagery of the sun and the harsh reality of death amplifies
the tragedy of the soldier’s loss.

Tone

Tender and Hopeful: In the first stanza, the speaker holds onto hope that the sun’s warmth might revive
the fallen soldier.

Despairing and Reflective: In the second stanza, the tone shifts to despair as the speaker questions the
purpose of life and creation when it ends in such futile loss.

Somber and Philosophical: The speaker’s reflections on life, death, and the indifference of nature lend a
solemn and contemplative tone.

Point of View

The poem is written from a first-person point of view, allowing readers to experience the speaker’s
personal grief and philosophical musings.

The speaker could represent Owen himself or an anonymous observer, reflecting on the universal
tragedy of war.