Strange Meeting Guilt and Blame Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #1

Yet also there encumbered sleepers groaned,
Too fast in thought or death to be bestirred. (4-5)

What's keeping these soldiers in hell from getting a restful sleep? Maybe the guilt of having killed a bunch of people? Just a hunch.

Quote #2

The pity of war, the pity war distilled. (25)

This is Owen working a sentence like a boss. The "war is a pity" phrase sounds like something we might have heard before, but the second part of that line actually makes war responsible. Owen is placing the blame squarely on war for the suffering of these soldiers.

Quote #3

Now men will go content with what we spoiled. (26)

Poor speaker number two is racked with guilt. Not only does he feel bad about all of the fighting he did while alive, now he realizes that he's spoiled the world for generations to come. That's a heavy burden to carry.

Quote #4

None will break ranks, though nations trek from progress. (29)

Here's Owen pointing the finger at war again—maybe even army leaders and the leaders of countries—for the damage it causes to the world.

Quote #5

I am the enemy you killed, my friend. (40)

We're not entirely sure speaker number two is trying to lay a giant guilt trip on speaker number one—in fact he's probably not, but c'mon that's quite a bomb to drop on somebody.