Owen, in his poem “Dulce et decorum Est” effectively conveys the horror of war and the suffering of the soldiers who fought in it, through use of Simile, Onomatopoeia, alliteration and effective word choice.
The poet uses Simile and to emphasize the deplorable physical condition of the soldiers returning from the front line of the battle.
“Bent bubble, like old beggars under sacs
Knock-kneed we cursed through sludge”
I find this Simile particularly effective as it gives me an image of the soldiers, in their uniforms that are the same earthy colour and weight as damp sacks. Swearing and coughing as they plough through the thick mud. It makes me realise the exhaustion and state of ill health the men suffered. The poet cleverly uses the word “cursed” instead of “coursed” to show the soldiers disillusionment with their situation.
The soldiers’ exhaustion is also highlighted later in the first Stanza in the Metaphor
“Drunk with fatigue”
The men are not literally inebriated but due to their extreme tiredness their senses are dulled, they cannot concentrate and they find it difficult to control their limbs and speech as if they were intoxicated
When a gas attack begins the soldiers burst into motion
Owen describes the onset of a gas attack.
“Gas!GAS!Quick boys!”
The emphasis on the second gas shows that the men’s senses are so numbed they have not heard this warning the first time.
“An ecstasy of fumbling”
ensues as they try to put on their gas masks. This is effective as it shows the change of pace, from the soldiers moving at a slow, steady pace to now being energetic and in a frantic hurry to put their gas masks on.
When one of the soldiers does not fit his gas mask on in time he is described as
“floundering like a man on fire or lime”.
This Simile is used to good effect as it gives me an image of the man squirming and flailing around as if he is burning. This also connotes death, as these are methods used to break down dead bodies.
Owen then describes the soldier actual death and goes into a dreamlike state in his dream the man plunges towards him. The word “plunges” shows the man is reaching for help in a desperate manner.
He can see the soldier “Guttering, chocking drowning,” but he cannot help him.
I find these Onomatopoeias effective as they shows how horrid and terrifying Wilfred Owens’s dreams are and how badly the sight of this man’s death has affected him. The word “flung” is used to describe the manner in which the men put the dead soldier’s body into a wagon. This word choice is effective as it shows the soldiers are desensitised to their comrades death as they have done this so many times.
