Understanding ideas of war and isolation in Owen's ‘Disabled’
I can understand how Owen presents ideas of war and isolation in ‘Disabled’.
Understanding ideas of war and isolation in Owen's ‘Disabled’
I can understand how Owen presents ideas of war and isolation in ‘Disabled’.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Wilfred Owen is widely considered to be one of the most important WW1 poets.
- Arguably, Owen’s poetry reveals the horror and futility of war.
- ‘Disabled’ focuses on an injured soldier in the aftermath of WW1.
- We might read ‘Disabled’ as demonstrating how the young men who enlisted did not know what they were signing up for.
- We might see ‘Disabled’ as exploring the loss of identity and isolation of soldiers in the aftermath of war.
Keywords
Enlist - enrol or be enrolled in the armed services
Aftermath - the period that follows an unpleasant event or accident, and the effects that it causes
Isolation - the state of feeling alone and without friends or help
Futility - the fact of having no effect or of achieving nothing; pointless; useless
Common misconception
WW1 poets portrayed dying for their country as glorious.
While some WW1 poets did portray it as glorious, poets such as Wilfred Owen depicted the horrors and futility of the war.
To help you plan your year 10 English lesson on: Understanding ideas of war and isolation in Owen's ‘Disabled’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 English lesson on: Understanding ideas of war and isolation in Owen's ‘Disabled’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the Poetry anthology (Assessment from summer 2027) unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
There is a copy of Owen's 'Disabled' in the additional materials; alternatively, you can find the poem in the Eduqas 2025 Anthology.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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