Themes

The main themes of the poem “Does It Matter?” by Siegfried Sassoon are the consequences of warfare and the ignorance of the people at home. Through these themes, the poet (who was also a soldier in World War I) expresses his frustration regarding the way in which soldiers are treated by others once they return home (either physically or mentally wounded). You may also add that this treatment posed a stark contrast to the pompous propaganda and celebration when the soldiers were sent off to war.

The consequences of warfare

The poem presents different facets of warfare and, implicitly, different consequences. On the one hand, soldiers who return home may be physically wounded; some of them might lose their limbs (like the soldier in stanza 1) or their sight (like the ...