Poetry as an Outlet

          To cope with the horrific experience of World War I, Owen used poetry as an outlet for his emotions. Doctor Arthur Brock was an important figure in the process of Owen’s recovery from shell shock. The shell shock stemmed from Owen being trapped next to a deceased and dismembered fellow solider. This incident led to deep traumatization of Owen thus resulting in his need for his stay at the hospital. The two began their relationship in May of 1917 in Craiglockhart War Hospital. The focus of Owen’s treatment was realism and insistence on experience. This cathartic therapy led to a cleansing and purifying of emotions. Often, Owen would translate what he saw firsthand in war directly into his poems. The realistic elements of his poems reveal the true horrific scenes of war.