Dulce est decorum est

• Dulce et Decorum - Wilfred Owen
• 1. Dulce et Decorum est depicts the horrors of war and the harsh realities that soldiers endured. Poet use alliteration and simile to skilfully convey the soldiers state ”Bent double,like old beggars under sacks”. The poet also mentioned that the soliders were extremely tired “Drunk with fatigue”This anti war poem urges us to not glorify war and to understand that the saying Dulce est decorum est“ meaning that it’s sweet and fitting to die for one’s country isn’t true. This is controversial as oppose to how war is depicted.
• 2. War is conveyed as tragic the sentence “as under a green sea I saw him drowning“ vividly describes a solider dying from a gas attack struggling to breathe. Furthermore Wilfred‘s poem offers hope by revealing the brutal reality of war so that it can be avoided and so that the absence of peace will be non-existant.
• 1st Image - throughout the poem the poet made use of realistic imagery to portray the actual conditions of the soldiers in the First World War. These images are based on the poet‘s actual experience as he served in the war. The poem begins with a description of weary troops “ bent double, like old beggars under sacks“..
• 2nd part of image 1 - furthermore the poet elaborates on the state of the soldiers. He described them staggering with exhaustion by saying that they were “drunk with fatigue” The image contrast the general public‘s perception of troops as they are depicted as fearless and heroic men who courageously face and overcome the challenges that confront them. The poet purposely uses the pictures of the soldiers to demolish peoples notions of battles and romanticising the heroic ideas.
• An image that was effective was the image of bombing. In my opinion I think it was efficacious As it made me envision an image of the sky being reddened as a result of the bomb. The quotation reference this idea is a metaphor “haunting flares”. The term flares brings up visions of bright and tremendous explosions in the sky. This contrasts the dark side of war to the vibrant flares this emphasises how the darkness of war can be represented in different ways. Essentially, it depicts the conflict between good and evil.
• Part 2 of bombing image - this metaphor generates a variety of feelings in the reader this includes anxiety and sadness. The word "haunting" can also refer to the soldiers' long-term psychological effects, such as shell shock.
• The tone of the poem grief and melancholy

  • as it’s portrayed to the harsh realities of war and the detrimental effect it had on soldiers.
  • His experience inspired the tone.
  • “ As under a green sea I saw him drowning” powerfully describes a picture of a solider dying from a gas attack + struggling for breath in the midst of toxic gases.
  • Use of simile - Like a man in fire and gargling from froth corrupted lungs - desribes the suffering of war in dept.
  • Conclusion - gloomy tone and controversial statement as oppose to the way war is presented
• Theme - horrors of war - it isn’t noble

  • Although the title is controversial
  • The grimness of war skilfully conveyed through the poems opening line of the description of soldiers ”Bent double like old beggars under sacks,knock kneed, coughlike hags”.
  • Great use of Alliteration - emphasises harshness of war (depict as weak in the poem despite them being presented as brawny).
  • Horrors of war - showed through the quote of them staggering with exhaustion - “drunk with fatigue”.
  • Hardships left people drained (physically,mentally).
• • In conclusion it skilfully depicted that war is horrific and not noble.
• In conclusion Dulce est Decorum est clearly depicts the horrific reality of war, portraying soldiers as physically and mentally exhausted victims of bloodshed. The poem revealed how soldiers were dehumanised as a result of their commanders sending them to battlefields in other words a graveyards