How does Wilfred Owen portray the horrors of
war through his use of language in Dulce et Decorum Est?
Dulce et Decorum Est, a poem by Wilfred Owen, explores the many horrors and cruel ordeals of World War One. Through his use of linguistic techniques, vivid imagery and dramatic descriptions, Owen seeks to convince the reader that it is far from honourable to die for ones country, as the title of the poem in fact suggests. He does so successfully, presenting his opinion through a series of images designed to obliterate the misconception that war is admirable, as well as differentiating and varying his techniques throughout the poem.
In the first stanza, Owen describes the state of the soldiers to allow the reader to visualise the cruel reality that war was for them. Their situation is made more realistic through the use of first person plural as displayed in the line “we cursed through the sludge”. Unexpected and contrasting descriptions of the soldiers such as referring to them as “bent double, like old beggars under sacks”, and associating them with animals by referring to them as “blood shod”, also changes the reader’s perception of what conditions were like during the war. In relation to their harsh portrayal, Owen uses similes such as “coughing like hags” to help produce a pitiful sense of anguish for the soldiers, as well as, for emphasis on their weariness, and both mental and physical strain, verbs such as “trudge”, “limped” and “bent”. Another technique used in the last line of the stanza, to accentuate the secrecy and display the soldiers’ unawareness, is the sibilance in the ironic line of “gas-shells dropping softly behind”.
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Peer Reviews
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Quality of writing
The Quality of Written Communication (QWC) raises no causes for concern. The candidate addresses a number of specific terminologies in the poem, all of which are spelt and applied correctly. There is excellent control of spelling, grammar and punctuation and there is no reason to deduct points from the QWC mark here.
Level of analysis
The Level of Analysis is fantastic, and shows a candidate who possesses skills up to A/A* level for GCSE. There is a proficient ability to analyse language shown, with plenty of attention given to specific adjectives but also to nouns, verbs and longer phrases. The analysis is very broad and consistent, and is very well-expressed with precise, clear comments about Owen's use of language. I also commend the contextual appreciation towards the end of the essay, as it is critical to understanding the effect of the poem to understand the mindset of Owen at the time. Overall a very strong essay.
Response to question
This is an excellent essay, and one that consistently focuses on Owen's language in his poem 'Dulce et Decorum est'. The language analysis is extensive and in-depth, and shows a good attention to how the poet uses language in order to ensure the poem is received in a certain way. There are light touches upon the rhythm and structure, which show the examiner that, were the question to ask for a more general analysis, the candidate would be capable of producing excellent analysis of structure and rhythm as well. There is a good understanding of the audience effect of certain linguistic devices like similes, sibilance, and onomatopoeia, which helps the candidate demonstrate a range of linguistic analysis and this will impress the examiner to know that not all efforts are dissipated on one or two specific effects.