a supporter of war who sought to recruit through poetry
what is the poem a rejection to?
Horaces maxim that it is sweet and right to die for your country
what was jessie pope's poem?
Who's for the Game?
what does jessie pope use to encourage people to enlist for war?
writes propaganda poems
rhetorical questions
idealised depiction of war
when did Owens enlist for war?
18 years old
what was Owens critical of?
troops due to poor behaviour
what did Owens want ?
He didnt want war to be glorified
what happened to Owens in 1916
he fell into a shell hole and suffered a concussion
what was Owens diagnosed with?
Shell Shock
what was Owens awarded in 1918?
The Military Cross for his bravery
Structure
Double sonnet
simile
" Bent double like old beggars under sacks " , " coughing like hags "
Dulce et Decorum Est
The title expresses a patriotic pro war sentiment so we first expect the poem to show war as positive however Owens subverts this and uses this as ironic
what is war compared to in Jessie Popes poem " whos for the game "?
war is compared to a game its harsh realities are ignored
" knock - kneed , like hags "
Semantic field of exhaustion to reject traditional images of heroism in war poetry
" gas shells droppingsoftly behind them "
oxymoron highlights soldiers exhaustion
caesura in stanza 1
represents stop and start journey of soldiers
" men marched asleep " , " drunk with fatigue "
contrast with traditional marching imagery. Alliteration and caesura make it a powerful factual statement
" Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! "
the repetition shows sense of urgency - sense of panic with capitals " boys " - comradeship and innocence of children
" stumbling " , " fumbling " , "floudring "
soldiers are presented as unprepared , rejecting the traditional image or wartime heroism
" clumsy helmets "
personifies helmets as clumsy and reinforces the idea that soldiers didnt expect a gas attack
" he plunges at me , guttering , choking , drowning "
" his hanging face, like a devils sick of sin "
connotations of religion show evil of war as ene devil would be sickened by it
why is the second stanza stood out?
to emphasis the fact that seeing his fellow soldiers drown was a vivid memory
" smothering dreams "
possible shellshock reference ; this may show that dreams are violent / suffocating
critical tone has been used to dismiss propaganda and pro-war views
" My friend "
direct address - Jessie pope or pro war supporters
" The old lie : Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori "
Owens rejects pro war sentiment with authority as he has seen people die for their country and is aware of how excruciating and horrific it is