Biography of wilfred owen poet

English poet and soldier (1893–1918)

For the politician, see Wilfrid Owen.

Wilfred Edward Salter OwenMC (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918) was an English poet and soldier.

He was one of the leading poets of the First World War. His war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare was much influenced by his mentor Siegfried Sassoon and stood in contrast to the public perception of war at the time and to the confidently patriotic verse written by earlier war poets such as Rupert Brooke.

Among his best-known works – most of which were published posthumously – are "Dulce et Decorum est", "Insensibility", "Anthem for Doomed Youth", "Futility", "Spring Offensive" and "Strange Meeting".

Owen was killed in action on 4 November 1918, a week before the war's end, at the age of 25.

Early life

Owen was born on 18 March 1893 at Plas Wilmot, a house in Weston Lane, near Oswestry in Shropshire.

He was the eldest of Thomas and (Harriett) Susan Owen (née