Robert Alexander Christoforides

The Silver Swan Book II Infernal Survivals Robert Alexander Christoforides

This is the second book, of three, which comprises this biographical novel about the life and times of Wilfred Owen, 'The Silver Swan'. It begins in January 1917 and ends with August 1918. This period covers his worst and best life experiences, culminating in the 'splendours' and catastrophes of his life in August 1918 - when he was certified fit to return to the Front; which he did, for the second time, on 31st August 1918. This book's narrative covers his time at the Front, January to May 1917 and his horrific experiences in battle and his being shelled outside St Quentin. It also covers his two periods spent in a Field Hospital and the circumstances in which is was invalided home with shell-shock. Most importantly of all, it covers his greatest period of creativity and all the new influences in his creative life, including his meeting Siegfried Sassoon at Craiglockhart Officers Hospital, whose resulting friendship opened many doors to the cultural life of London, whereby he was introduced to important writers and poets and most particularly to Robbie Ross, Oscar Wilde's Literary Executor, with whom he developed a close friendship and who generously introduced him to many other significant people; Ross also did his best to promote his work. During this time, he met such as HG Wells, Arnold Bennett, Charles Scott Moncrieff and Robert Graves. It also includes narrative in respect of his treatment for shell-shock at Craiglockhart Hospital, to which he had been invalided for treatment in May 1917. There, he was under the care of Dr Brock. This particular book considers the efficacy of the, then available and very rudimentary, treatment as applied in Owen's particular case, positing that it caused a 'personality change', which enabled his return to the Front as fighting man, but did not effect any actual cure of his PTSD. It also covers in detail his time in Scarborough and Ripon, to which he had been sent for 'light duties', during which time he composed most of his important poems and completely revising the rest. Ending in August 1918, it deals, in detail, with his appearing before the Medical Board which certified him A1 fit to return immediately to the Front. He then went to Folkestone, whence he embarked for France on 31st August 1918, never to return.