In Parenthesis by David Jones
David Jones, a member of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, served on the Western Front for two years. His greatest work was inspired by these events. The 38th Welsh Division’s charge at Mametz Wood during the second week of the Somme Offensive is the poem’s climax, which Jones wrote specifically for the soldiers with whom he served. It follows a section of the Fusiliers over their first six months in the field. By referencing the Welsh bards Aneirin and Taliesin, the legends of Arthur and Roland, as well as the long-forgotten recollections of the Roman legions, Jones infuse his poetry with his literary and cultural influences.
In Parenthesis by David Jones
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Some have claimed that this tends to minimize the events depicted and glorifies war, but Jones isn’t in the business of downplaying the fight and deaths of these guys; rather, as he states at the start, he is remembering what he experienced. Jones is strongly evoking an earlier bardic tradition, which is especially evident in his meticulous imitation of earlier poetry traditions, including those of medieval Wales and France. There aren’t much of the “lions led by donkeys” myth propagated here, despite the fact that Jones’ words are rooted in the stark realities of the Western Front; his Fusiliers aren’t just the innocent victims of a stupid general’s error.
However, troops who are dragged into the thick of combat, who want to hug the earth but get up to launch an attack. Pretty potent.
This text is most definitely the one to read if a layperson wants even a glimmer of comprehension of the trenches. This is a poetic masterwork of poem and prose, not a memoir, that is far too frequently disregarded. This is English that has been shaped and massaged to appeal to the senses and foster a tepid awareness of reality. It was written by a survivor and is a hymn of the soldiers.
The book is excellent. It is an amazing, poetic depiction of the experience of being an infantryman in the trenches during World War I. In many ways, Jones honours Joyce, and his language is highly evocative.
