Question 1: Examine the opening lines: 'Our brains ache, in the merciless iced winds that knive us...'. What is Owen suggesting about the soldiers' physical and mental state? How does this set the tone for the poem?

Answer: Owen highlights the soldiers' exhaustion and mental anguish, using 'ache' and 'merciless' to emphasize their suffering and the relentless cold, establishing a bleak, oppressive mood.

Question 2: Identify and explain the effect of the repeated use of 'but' in the poem. How does it influence the poem's tone and message?

Answer: The repeated 'but' introduces contrasts between expectation and reality, emphasizing the soldiers' suffering despite hopes or patriotic motives, reinforcing the poem's somber tone.

Question 3: Quote explosion: 'For love of God seems dying.' What does this line reveal about the soldiers' spiritual or emotional state? How does Owen use language here to evoke empathy?

Answer: Owen suggests that even faith and hope are fading among the soldiers, using 'dying' to evoke pity and highlight the devastating toll of war on their spirits.

Question 4: Analyze the line: 'The poignant misery of dawn begins to grow.' What does Owen imply about the soldiers' perception of time and suffering?

Answer: Owen personifies dawn as 'poignant misery', suggesting that even the new day brings pain, emphasizing the relentless and cyclical nature of their suffering.

Question 5: Identify a metaphor used in the poem to describe the soldiers' experience. How does this metaphor enhance the reader's understanding?

Answer: The wind is personified as 'knives', metaphorically depicting it as a weapon causing pain, which emphasizes the hostile environment and the soldiers’ vulnerability.

Question 6: Quote explosion: 'Less deadly than the air that shudders with snow.' How does Owen compare the danger of the environment to the threat of enemy fire? What is the effect on the reader?

Answer: Owen suggests the natural elements are a greater threat than the enemy, emphasizing the brutal environment of the trenches and fostering a sense of helplessness.

Question 7: Discuss how the structure of the poem, especially the use of repeated refrains like 'But nothing happens', contributes to its overall impact.

Answer: The refrain 'But nothing happens' underscores the stagnation and futility of war, creating a haunting rhythm that emphasizes the soldiers' despair and the monotony of their suffering.

Question 8: Compare the portrayal of nature in 'Exposure' with its depiction in another poem from the Power and Conflict anthology, such as 'Ozymandias'. How do the poets use natural imagery to convey power or despair?

Answer: In 'Exposure', Owen uses harsh natural imagery like cold winds and snow to depict the environment as hostile and oppressive, reflecting despair. In 'Ozymandias', Shelley depicts a ruined statue amidst a desolate desert, symbolizing the impermanence of human power. Both use natural imagery to evoke a sense of decay and futility, but Owen's natural elements emphasize suffering, while Shelley's focus is on the inevitable decline of human achievements.

Question 9: Identify and analyze a line that demonstrates Owen's use of personification. What effect does this have on the reader?

Answer: The line 'Dawn begins to grow' personifies dawn as having the ability to 'grow', emphasizing the ongoing passage of time and the persistent presence of suffering, making it feel alive and almost malevolent.

Question 10: Extended task: Write a brief essay plan comparing the themes of power and futility in 'Exposure' and 'My Last Duchess'. Consider how each poet presents control and its loss.

Answer: Introduction: Both poems explore themes of power and its decline. Owen shows the futility of war and nature's dominance, while Browning depicts personal control and the consequences of power abuse. Point 1: Owen's depiction of nature's relentless forces as overpowering soldiers; Browning's portrayal of the duke's control over the duchess. Point 2: Both poems highlight the transient nature of power—Owen through the soldiers' suffering, Browning through the duke's downfall. Point 3: Techniques: Owen's imagery and refrain create a sense of despair; Browning's dramatic monologue reveals character and power dynamics. Conclusion: Both poems depict the fragility of power and the inevitable decline, but from different perspectives—collective suffering versus individual control.