3. Does It Matter?

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Does It Matter?

VWO 4 Literature

Before we start..

A short test to see what you remember

In The Soldier, why was the concealed dust 'richer'?

1. It was made of gold.
2. It was made of honour.
3. It was made by a rich man.
4. I have absolutely no idea.

Which poem was more positive about war?

1. Dulce et Decorum Est
2. The Soldier
3. Both were very positive
4. Both were very negative

Both poems take place at the same time. When was this?

Let's continue

Does It Matter?

by Siegfried Sassoon

About the author

• Siegfried Sassoon
• 1886 - 1967
• Joined army

What does the year of his death (1918) tell us?

About the author

• Survived the war
• Met Owen in 1917 and
  influenced his work.

What is a stanza?

Before we start..

What is the same with each stanza?

The similarity is...

They all start with a question. We'll see later on why this is important.

1. What is the rhyme scheme of this poem?

The rhyme scheme is...

ABBCA DBBED FGGHF

• Difficult as there is a lot of repetition

2. Explain why this poem can be seen as ironic or sarcastic.

Discuss in pairs or groups of three.

Correct answer

• Each situation (question) described in the first line of each stanza is quite horrific
  
• These situations are all after-effects from the war
  
• However, they are all nullified by the ‘advantages’ given in the rest of the stanza
  
• Therefore they do not seem to matter.

3. What does the author mean
with the word 'pit' in stanza 3?

In Dulce Et Decorum Est the author talks about “smothering dreams”. In this poem the author also talks about dreams. 

4. What do you think these dreams are about?

The dreams are about

The horrific scenes soldiers see and encounter on the battlefield.

What are the similarities and differences between Does It Matter and Dulce et Decorum Est?

Discuss in pairs or groups of three.

Similarities / Differences to Dulce (notes!)

Similarities:

• Both poems written in 1917 (when Sassoon and Owen met)
  
• Both Dulce Et Decorum Est and Does It Matter are negative about the war.
  
• Both poems talk about having nightmares from the battlefield
  

Differences:

• Dulce et Decorum Est is much more graphic
  

I think I understand this poem well enough for the test.

Yes

No

Continue

If you have answered yes, focus on your week task.

If you have answered no, please let me know what you do not understand (yet).