Final answer:
The tone of Wilfred Owen's 'The Send-Off' communicates a somber and reflective message that condemns war, with the poet highlighting the inhumanity and suffering it brings, aligning with other contemporary works that criticized war rather than glorifying it.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tone of 'The Send-Off', a poem by Wilfred Owen, is somber and reflective, subtly revealing the poet's criticisms of war. Contrary to portraying war as a glorious venture, the poem's tone suggests its ultimately destructive nature. The soldiers are sent off with ceremonial fanfare, but the poem hints that they may not return, and if they do, they won't be the same.
The poet does not support war; instead, he laments its tragic consequences. The message faltering between the grim realities of war and the seemingly futile hope for return characterises Owen's consistent stance against war as observed in his other works.
Looking at the broader context of war poetry, especially from World War I, many poets like Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon conveyed the inhumanity and suffering of the war, directly contradicting the notion of war as a heroic act. The raw emotional portrayal of war served to condemn the conflict and highlight the devastating human cost.
By reflecting on the work of these poets and artists like German artist Käthe Kollwitz, who represented the profound loss and mourning of war, we can understand that 'The Send-Off' shares a similar message of condemnation and mourning.