Super Short Summary

Wilfred Owen by Jon Stallworthy is a 1974 biography detailing the life of the British war poet, Wilfred Owen, with a focus on his literary development and the impact of wartime conditions on his poetry. Born in 1893, Owen's early interest in poetry was influenced by the Romantic poets. After experiencing the brutality of World War I, Owen's work evolved, capturing the horrors of battle, as seen in his renowned poems like "Dulce et Decorum Est" and "Anthem for Doomed Youth." The biography also explores Owen's relationships, particularly with fellow poet Siegfried Sassoon, and his final year of intense creativity before his untimely death in 1918. The book includes detailed examinations of Owen's experiences with war and its psychological effects, such as PTSD.