Extracts from this document...

Introduction

Ryan Stratbow Comparison of "Dulce et decorum est" by Wilfred Owen and Rupert Brooke's "Peace" The title for both of the poems is highly ironic, "dulce et decorum est" means "it is sweet and honourable to die for your country", the actual poem totally disagrees with that statement, it is not sweet and honourable to die for your country. The title of "Peace" for the Brooke's poem is ironic due to the fact that it informs you the poem is about peace, it is in fact, about war. Dulce et decorum est is a poem about a company of men in the war. The men in the company do not have a human description, but seem to be describes as though they have aged in this war, "bent double, like old beggars...". Everyone seems to be in a trance, there is no conversation, just a slow silent march, the men have all been de-humanised and now, they are nothing, their minds destroyed. But, when the gas attack occurs, they seem to spring back to life. Alas, one man can not get his mask on his face for some unknown reason and runs through the "green sea" of gas, he was "drowning". ...read more.

Middle

desperate glory," "The old lie: Dulce et decorum est "Pro patria mori" The final line is the most interesting, translated into modern day English it means, "it is sweet and honourable to die for your country". Perhaps it is honourable to die for your country, but sweet? The final 4 lines are warning you that children should not be told this, it is not right, it is not How things should be done, it is a lie. War is to be avoided, men are nothing but scum in war, senses of compassion are lost and men, de-humanised. The Brooke poem, "peace" is about what happens to the world if there is no war. With out war, the world is asleep, we are dirty, and only war can cleanse us. Out youth are woken by war, "And caught our youth, and wakened us from sleeping". Everyone should attend war, nothing can be lost, nothing, except an human body, the soul is left intact, and then you may join god in his kingdom of heaven. You will not loose, you have served and lost you human body for your country, is this not honourable and good? ...read more.

Conclusion

In peace the water reference is "to turn, and swimmers into cleanness leaping", give you the picture of men diving into water and sighing a breath of relief as they feel their crimes and sins lifted from them. And so, I draw my conclusion. The two poems are the two different views it is possible to have on the war, dulce de decorum est argues the war is terrible, whereas Peace argues that it is a good thing, and needed for life to continue. Can we judge as to which one is correct? I don't think that is possible, although at times, Brookes view seems a little innocent, and he lacks real experience of the war, unlike Owen. Yet Owen goes into such detail that it is difficult to escape the fact that war is a horrible thing. ?? ?? ?? ?? This document was downloaded from Coursework.Info - The UK's Coursework Database - http://www.coursework.info/ This document was downloaded from Coursework.Info - The UK's Coursework Database - http://www.coursework.info/ This document was downloaded from Coursework.Info - The UK's Coursework Database - http://www.coursework.info/ This document was downloaded from Coursework.Info - The UK's Coursework Database - http://www.coursework.info/ ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE War Poetry section.