Futility
Futility Wilfred Owen is a famous war poet of the present century. ‘Futility’ is one of his most popular poems. ‘Futility’ is a remarkable rendering of the grim realities of war.
The pity of war is the subject matter of many of Owen’s poems. The main theme of the poem entitled ‘Futility’also, is war. Aman has been killed in the war. He was a farmworker.
While he was the rays of the sun and the whispering sound of the gentle wind always woke. I’m But now when he is dead, nothing can wake him up-neither the sun nor the wind, Thus, the poet has exposed in this poem the meaninglessness of life which is so easily lost just to satisfy the lust of a handful of rulers.
The message of the poet is to expose the futility of life because of war. War is a futile game. It cannot bring good to mankind. The poet here appears not only as a poet but also as a benefactor of mankind. He suggests shunning the path of war.
Man’s life should not be made so cheap. Life has some important roles to play. There are fourteen lines in this poem. The language of the poem is simple but powerful. Adjectives have been wisely chosen-Kind the old sun” Full-netted, still warm, too hard to stir’ are examples of this point. There is dramatic touch in these lines-
“O What made fatuous sunbeams toil
To break earth’s sleep at all ? “
The title of the poem is Futility’. It means meaninglessness. The poet has exposed the meaninglessness of human life in war. Hence, the title of the poem is apt and significant.
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