4.1.4

Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons

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Form, Structure and Rhythm of Exposure

The narrative style of Exposure emphasises collective suffering in war. The rhythm reflects the boredom of the soldiers.

First person narrative

First person narrative

  • The poem is written in the first person. It has many collective, possessive pronouns, such as “we”, “us”, “our”.
  • This hints at the collective (group) suffering of the soldiers in WW1. It also encourages the reader to share in their pain.
Rhythm

Rhythm

  • The poem is made up of five-line stanzas.
    • The form mirrors the repetitive and never-ending nature of war.
    • It also mirrors the ongoing boredom and misery of the soldiers.
  • The ABBAC rhyme scheme is repeated, which reflects the monotony (sameness) of war.
    • But the last line of each stanza creates an unsettling feel. This is possibly to mirror how destabilised and on edge, the soldiers feel waiting for the enemy to attack.

Key Quotations in Exposure

Here are key quotations to remember for your exam:

“…But nothing happens”

“…But nothing happens”

  • Repetition of “but nothing happens” throughout the poem gives the readers a sense of the boredom caused by waiting.
  • It also hints at the pointlessness of war.
“Our brains ache in the merciless iced east winds that knive us”

“Our brains ache in the merciless iced east winds that knive us”

  • Personification and sibilance.
  • The weather is personified to make it sound menacing and deadly. This also characterises the weather as the real enemy of the soldiers.
  • The sibilance here highlights the intensity of the pain and the brutality of the weather.
“Dawn massing in the east her melancholy army..."

“Dawn massing in the east her melancholy army..."

  • “Dawn massing in the east her melancholy army / Attacks once more in ranks on shivering ranks of grey.”
  • Personification.
    • Dawn, usually associated with ideas of light and hope is here hostile and brings even more suffering.
  • Colour imagery.
  • The colour imagery “grey” conveys ideas of despair and boredom.
  • Military vocabulary.
  • “Ranks” is a military term and is repeated, reminding the reader that the weather is the soldiers’ enemy.
“Less deadly than the air that shudders black with snow”

“Less deadly than the air that shudders black with snow”

  • Nature is presented as more damaging and deadly than the bullets.
  • The contrasting images of “black” and “snow” are unsettling. They highlight the horror of being exposed to the elements.
  • They also highlight how close to death the soldiers are.
“Slowly, our ghosts drag home”

“Slowly, our ghosts drag home”

  • Metaphor.
  • This metaphor suggests that war has sucked all the life out of the soldiers and further reminds readers that they are on the brink of death.
“All their eyes are ice”

“All their eyes are ice”

  • Metaphor.
  • This metaphor describes the extreme effects of the weather that have overcome the soldiers.
  • It also implies that the soldiers have lost their humanity and could suggest they are close to breaking point.

Key Comparisons: Exposure

Here are some themes that come up in Exposure and other texts:

Effects/reality of conflict

Effects/reality of conflict

  • You may want to compare the theme of the effects and/or reality of conflict in Exposure to the following texts:
    • War Photographer.
    • Poppies.
    • Kamikaze.
    • Bayonet Charge.
    • Remains.
Power of nature vs power of man

Power of nature vs power of man

  • You may want to compare the theme of the power of nature vs power of man in Exposure to the following texts:
    • Storm on the Island.
    • The Prelude.
    • Tissue.
Jump to other topics
1

Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

1.1

Ozymandias Analysis

1.1.1Summary1.1.2Key Ideas1.1.3Themes1.1.4Irony & Rhythm1.1.5Key Quotes & Comparisons1.1.6End of Topic Test - Ozymandias1.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Caesura1.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying Caesura1.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Analysing Caesura
2

London - William Blake (1757-1827)

2.1

London Analysis

2.1.1Summary2.1.2Themes & Structure2.1.3Themes & Structure 22.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons2.1.5Exam-Style Questions - London2.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Repetition2.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying Repetition2.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Analysing Repetition
3

Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)

3.1

Storm on the Island Analysis

3.1.1Summary & Structure3.1.2Themes3.1.3Themes 23.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons3.1.5End of Topic Test - Blake & Heaney3.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Fear
4

Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)

4.1

Exposure Analysis

4.1.1Summary4.1.2Personification4.1.3Themes4.1.4Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons4.1.5End of Topic Test - Exposure4.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Define Personification4.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ident. Personification
5

War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)

5.1

War Photographer Analysis

5.1.1Summary5.1.2Themes5.1.3Imagery5.1.4Comparisons & Key Quotes5.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Similes5.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying Similes
6

My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)

6.1

My Last Duchess Analysis

6.1.1Summary6.1.2Characterisation & Themes6.1.3Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons6.1.4End of Topic Test - Duffy & Browning6.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cheating Wife
7

The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

7.1

Extract from The Prelude Analysis

7.1.1Summary7.1.2Personification & Imagery7.1.3Themes7.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons7.1.5End of Topic Test - The Prelude7.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - "Her"
8

Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson

8.1

Charge of the Light Brigade Analysis

8.1.1Summary8.1.2Themes8.1.3Rhetorical Techniques, Key Quotes & Comparisons8.1.4End of Topic Test - Charge of the Light Brigade8.1.5Exam-Style Questions - Charge of the Light Brigade8.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Tennyson a Soldier?
9

Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)

9.1

Bayonet Charge Analysis

9.1.1Summary9.1.2Themes9.1.3Themes 29.1.4Structure & Key Comparisons9.1.5End of Topic Test - Bayonet Charge9.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - NOT COTLB9.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Soldier Running Away
10

Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)

10.1

Poppies Analysis

10.1.1Summary10.1.2Theme of Motherhood10.1.3Imagery10.1.4Form, Structure & Key Comparisons10.1.5End of Topic Test - Poppies10.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Enjambment
11

Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)

11.1

Tissue Analysis

11.1.1Summary11.1.2Themes & Symbolism11.1.3Religion & Conflict11.1.4Form, Structure & Key Comparisons11.1.5End of Topic Test - Tissue
12

The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)

12.1

The Emigree Analysis

12.1.1Summary & Structure12.1.2Themes12.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons12.1.4End of Topic Test - The Emigree12.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Emigrant vs Immigrant
13

Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)

13.1

Kamikaze Analysis

13.1.1Summary & Structure13.1.2Themes13.1.3Themes 213.1.4Structure, Quotes & Comparisons13.1.5End of Topic Test - Kamikaze13.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining NP13.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying NP
14

Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)

14.1

Checking Out Me History Analysis

14.1.1Summary14.1.2Themes14.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons14.1.4End of Topic Test - Checking Out Me History
15

Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)

15.1

Remains Analysis

15.1.1Summary15.1.2Themes: Desensitisation &Trauma15.1.3Themes: Guilt15.1.4Themes: Nature of War15.1.5Structure15.1.6Key Quotes & Comparisons15.1.7End of Topic Test - Remains15.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Casual Tone
16

Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1

Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
17

Recap: Main Quotes

17.1

Recap: Main Quotes

17.1.1Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)17.1.2London - William Blake (1757-1827)17.1.3Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)17.1.4Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)17.1.5War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)17.1.6My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)17.1.7The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)17.1.8Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson17.1.9Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)17.1.10Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)17.1.11Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)17.1.12The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)17.1.13Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)17.1.14Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)17.1.15Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)

Practice questions on Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What's the rhyme scheme used in Exposure?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Why does Owen use many collective possessive pronouns (_“we”, “us”, “our”_) throughout Exposure?True / false
  3. 3
    Exposure is written in:Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Exposure has:True / false
  5. 5
    Why might Owen have wanted the last lines of each stanza to create an unsettling feel?Multiple choice
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Themes

End of Topic Test - Exposure