A Comparison of "Who's for the Game" and "Dulce et Decorum est".

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Rachael Browne                                                                                                                          11JD/U                              

A Comparison of

“Who’s for the Game”

and  

“Dulce et Decorum est”

For this essay I am going to compare and contrast the two poems “Who’s for the game” was published by the daily mail. The poem was designed as a propaganda poem to encourage men to join the army in the war effort. This addressed the men of Britain and reassured them that if they joined it would be nothing to be scared of. It makes the war sound easier by comparing the war to a game throughout the poem. In contrast to this view of war a totally different attitude is given by “Dulce et Decorum est”. Throughout the poem Owen describes to us about the tragedies and horrors of war. In the poem Owen tells us about a group of soldiers that have been at the front line for some time and are falling back as they desperately need rest, they then are attacked with gas. Owen then describes the soldiers rush for their masks, however one soldier does not get his mask on in time. Owen explains to us the feelings and emotions he felt as he had to go to war and fight. This poem is his experience and he saw the soldier dying.” Dulce et Decorum est” was written in response to poets such as Jessie Pope as Owen did not agree to the way that the war was portrayed in their poems. “Dulce et Decorum est” was addressed to the people of Britain to give a realistic truthful view of war. Both poems have the same theme of war but have totally opposite attitudes towards it.

        In the poem “Who’s for the Game” Jessie pope makes a comparison between war and a ‘Game’. The use of ‘Game’ gives the indication that war is easy. It gives the idea it will be easy to cope with and that it will be fun.

“the red crashing game of a fight”

In this line the word ‘Game is used again, the word fight in this means a small harmless fight. Pope does this as it makes the poem sound light hearted and persuasive. It makes the poem persuasive, as many people would want to join up for the war if it was how pope made it sound, ‘like a Game’. Pope also uses words like “who’ll grip and tackle the job”

This language is normally associated in games. Also Pope makes a comparison between war and a show

“ a turn for himself in the show”

To me this makes war sound fake as in a show you would act out a role, as well as this it glorifies war because people would look at an actor with praise, Pope is saying this could be you being looked up to as a soldier.

Throughout the poem Pope mentions as well as addressing two types of men. Pope suggests these two types of men are opposites. The first type of man is eager to join the war thinks it is his duty to god and his country, he wants to be part of the so called ‘game’ a brave man isn’t afraid of getting hurt.

The other type of man that is mentioned is someone that does not want to be part of the war, just wants to sit back.

“who thinks he’d rather sit tight”

Pope mentions this type of man in an almost sarcastic manner, as if someone would actually want to sit out the war. If they did not want to be part of the war they would be missing out on the fun.

“be out of the fun”

I believe that Pope has used these kinds of phrases as a tactic to challenge the men. She also makes as if the war is a race

“tow the line for the signal to go”

This tactic usually worked well, she’s really saying if you are a real man come and join the war. Young men would usually join up in friendship groups. For someone that did not want to join the war the other s would tell he’ll be out of the fun and would tease him, tell him he is not a real man. This worked many a time, as it would manipulate the man into joining up, as he would not want to be seen as weaker. Pope encourages the men by making them feel important by saying their country wants them.

Join now!

“looking and calling for you”

She is suggesting that they will be recognized for what they do like some kind of hero a man that his country would be proud of.

        In stanza three Pope makes a metaphoric comparison between war and “picnic”

“who knows it won’t be a picnic-not much”

In this phrase the noun “picnic” is saying that the war won’t be a breeze or easy that it will get a bit hard. However, nothing too bad that the man cannot cope with. This gives a casual view of the war. Even though it will get a bit ...

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Phew! What a long, rambling essay of poorly-constructed sentences and sloppy punctuation! It is at least twice as long as necessary to make its points. The two poems are analysed separately, and mostly concerning the lexis, with little direct comparison of the language and poetic devices used by the two authors. Quotations are well chosen, though often not quoted accurately. The concluding paragraph is short and does not effectively sum up the comparison promised in the title. With some serious editing, this could be a much better essay. 3 stars.