Full Title: A comparison of “The Dead-Beat” and “Mental Cases” by Wilfred Owen

“The Dead-Beat”, set in a front-line trench, and “Mental Cases”, set in a mental hospital, were both written by Wilfred Owen and describe situations involving people who have been mentally scarred by their experiences during the First World War. Pat Barker, in the novel “Regeneration”, suggests that Siegfried Sassoon aided Owen in the construction of “The Dead-Beat” during their time at Craiglockhart hospital. The poems are told in the first person, from the perspective of the author. Whilst they deal with the same subject, each approaches the topic from a different angle and discusses different elements of mental illness.

Both poems discuss the physical aspects of people suffering with war neurosis. “Mental Cases” goes into depth, describing in detail the problems with the patients, “drooping tongues from jaws that slob”. By describing them as “purgatorial shadows”, Wilfred is suggesting that the men are caught already between heaven and hell; indeed Wilfred goes on to suggest that “surely we… walk hell”. Other physical symptoms are described, such as the constant manipulation of the madmen’s hands “plucking at each other”. The expressions of the victims are described as being “hilarious, hideous… set-smiling corpses”. This juxtaposition of words creates a terrifying image in the reader’s mind and the mention of corpses suggests that these men are already dead to the world. Wilfred has also described the mental sufferings of the patients in this poem. The “batter of guns and shatter of flying muscles” are sounds which they can not escape from. The onomatopoeia used by Owen in this line is very effective, making his description seem even more real. In the lines “Sunlight seems a blood-smear; night comes blood-black; / Dawn breaks open like a wound that bleeds afresh” we are introduced to the idea that these men suffer a constant preoccupation with the horrors they have seen and are plagued by them unceasingly, “Always must they see these things”. Every time of the day bears a new connotation to death. Wilfred’s repetition of the word “blood” and use of imagery creates a vivid image in the reader’s mind.

In contrast, “The Dead-Beat” carries little description regarding the sufferer of mental illness, simply describing how a soldier falls to the trench floor and lies “heavy like meat”. This simile also suggests to the reader that men were seen as no more than meat in those times. His condition does not yet seem as severe or shocking as those described in “Mental Cases”, even though he seems oblivious to his situation, unable to see the “trench at which he stared”.

Possible causes for the “shell-shock” are discussed in both poems. “Mental Cases” suggests that the patient’s minds have been ravished by “the Dead” and that the “multitudinous murders” have finally taken their toll on the men. The alliteration in this line draws the reader’s attention, focussing them on to this important, yet horrific, idea. Wilfred also suggests that it is “us” who are to blame for their sorry condition. This idea of collective responsibility could also be referring to the army officers, “who dealt them war and madness”.

“The Dead-Beat”, on the other hand, produces some very different ideas about the causes of the breakdown. Although in this case it is presented through the dialogue of other soldiers at the front. They suggest that “It’s Blighty, p’raps”, the soldier has lost his “pluck” and wants to go home. This suggestion of cowardice was a common one, and “shell-shock” was commonly seen as cowardice by those in positions of command. It is concluded that “It’s not these stiffs have crazed him; nor the Hun”. Further accusations are presented in the poem that the soldier is “malingering… not half!” This presents a disturbing lack of understanding by those at the front of some people’s suffering.

The attitudes towards “shell-shock” victims is also described in “The Dead-Beat”, describing how the sufferer was sent “out the way”. People did not want anything to do with this coward who could not stand up to his duty. Elements of the violence of ordinary trench-life is also shown in the phrase “none of us could kick him to his feet”. Most disturbingly, however, is the last two lines of the poem, which suggests that the “cure” for this soldier was a bullet, “That scum you sent… soon died.” We were told earlier that the sufferer was “unwounded; – stout lad, too” so there is no other explanation for his sudden death. The final word of the poem after this line, “Hooray”, leaves the audience with a morbid and disgusted feeling. The doctor seems to be pleased that this ill soldier, thought to just be a coward, worrying about his wife “Getting her fun / In some new home”, has died. This shows how little even the doctors at the front knew about the mental effects the war had on front-line soldiers.

The dialogue used by Wilfred Owen in “The Dead-Beat” makes the scene more believable to a reader and suggests to us further than Owen is recalled an event which he witnessed. By using “I” in his narrative, Owen is also suggesting that this was a first-hand experience. Despite this personal involvement the poem still carries a bitter and sarcastic tone, as though spiting the soldiers who treated the “shell-shocked” victim with such distaste. The dialogue also quickens the pace of the poem, however caesura have been used extensively throughout both the dialogue and narrative. This creates a disjointed feeling in the otherwise fast-paced poem, adding to the uneasy feeling the poem generates.

In conclusion, Wilfred Owen’s own views of war are reflected in both of these poems. The bitter attitude of “The Dead-Beat” summarises Owen’s disgust at the lack of understanding of war neurosis at the front, whilst “Mental Cases” describes his own personal experience with “shell-shock” victims and points a blaming finger at all those who continued with the war thereby dealing madness to the men.

_{Mark achieved: 17/20}

_{Teacher’s comments: Well done. Thorough and focused. A perceptive understanding of subject matter has been shown, along with analytical appreciation of the use of language and techniques.}

_{My afterthought: I kept saying “Wilfred” by accident instead of using the poet’s surname “Owen” as you are supposed to. Fool.}