A Comparison Of 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' And 'Suicide In The Trenches'

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A Comparison Of

 ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’

And

‘Suicide In The Trenches’

The lies and illusions promising glory in war were cast aside by two poets during World War One, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen. These poets have written many famous poems but when comparing the two most famous poems of the poets, Siegfried Sassoon’s “Suicide in the trenches” and Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce Et Decorum Est”, an immediate conclusion can be drawn about the contents of the poems. “Suicide in the trenches” which gives an impression of despite being in the trenches, men were not only being killed by the brutal pounding of enemy fire but were killing themselves. Wilfred Owen’s poem “Dulce Et Decorum Est” however seems to give the opposite impression at first as the Latin saying translates into: “It is fitting and honorable to die for your country,” but, ironically, the meaning of the poem is the opposite. The poet has chosen this title deliberately so he can display it in a sarcastic manner. The poem “Dulce Et Decorum Est” is, therefore, not about dying gloriously or patriotically for your country but instead the horrors of the way the soldiers died. “Suicide in the trenches” focuses on the meaningless life in the trenches and that a quick death ends it all where as “Dulce Et Decorum Est” focuses on the suffering and torture of a slow death.

   Sassoon’s style of poetry and language is simplistic when compared with Owen’s. He states the bare facts and the wasted life of a soldier and Owen’s style is more complicated and complex as effective and brutal imagery is conveyed into the reader’s head. It conveys the horrors in details and the slow suffering of a victim of a unexpected yet dreaded gas attack.

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   Suicide in the Trenches” starts off with the description of a young joyful boy as described as “Who grinned at life in empty joy.” Empty joy indicates that even when there was nothing to be happy about, the boy kept grinning. And a boy with no worries, “Slept soundly through the lonesome dark.” After this elated imagery, the poet switches to the trenches and describing him being as “Cowed and glum” and the imagery becomes heavy with depression. A clever use of the word “Crumps”, a onomatopoeic term describes the dropping of shells. Then comes the simple hard action ...

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**** 4 STARS An excellent essay which uses PEA throughout and closely analyses language using accurate terminology. Comments are insightful and perceptive and always supported by a well chosen quote. Analysis is detailed and thoughtful. The writer has clearly understood the techniques used in both poems, including the importance of structure and writes an eloquent conclusion where personal responses to poems are explored.