The valley that the two army’s were fighting is described is
(“the valley of death,” “jaws of death,” “the mouth of hell”)
This implies that there was no chance of surviving the in the battle because of the valley but still Tennyson describes the British army as though they have done very well.
The British in the Tennyson poem is known as
(“Noble six hundred,” “hero,”)
This means that Tennyson wrote this as though the British were the best and on Gods side and the Russians were on the devils side.
In contrast to the “mouth of hell” the British army presented by Tennyson are made to look brave and confident and unafraid of the Russian army:
(“Forward the Light Brigade!” “Their’s not to make reply, Their’s not to reason why, Their’s not to do and die,” “Charging an army,” “Plunged in Battery Smoke” “Right through the line they broke.”)
This is also evidence from the poem that Tennyson described the British army only doing the best it fighting the Russian army. It also shows the reader how hard the British worked to try and fight the Russian army even though they were out numbered.
Tennyson uses a variety of techniques in his poem. He uses personification:
“Came through the jaws of death
Back from the mouth of hell.”
He uses this to ethicize what the British army are fighting in.
Alliteration:
(“Stormed at with shot and shell,” “All the world wondered,” “Shattered and sundered.”)
This suggests that he wanted to make it stand out so that the reader can read it and think about it.
Repetition:
(“Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air,” “Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade.”)
This suggests that the words that are repeated are the things that the British army repeated. It is also a very effective thing to write in a poem that has only one view and you try to put points across.
Rhetorical questions:
(“Was there a man dismayed?”
When can their glory fade?”)
These rhetorical questions are effective because they are questions that cannot be answered.
Tennyson’s poem is structured. This shows that Tennyson describes the soldiers as an organised army. In Tennyson’s poem the British army are described as “rode the six hundred” at the end of each chorus but the repetition changes when the soldiers start to die in the poem it also starts to sound more like a memorial in the last chorus as the last line is “Noble six hundred!”
The tone of the poem is very persuasive and forceful especially in stanza 6 when he says:
“When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade.”
This means that the Light Brigade has done something that needs to have some recognition for it and so Tennyson tells the reader to honour them for all of there heroism.
He concentrates a lot on six hundred soldiers not individuals. He never describes death but glorifies the British soldiers actions this is because if he did talk about individuals he will have to talk about one of the soldiers traumatic death and how much suffering that soldier had before dying.
Wilfred Owen’s view point to the war is different to Tennyson’s because Owen had a first hand personal experience of the war. Tennyson however had a second hand source of war.
Owen enlisted in World War 1 because he though it was right to fight for his country. Owen’s view of the war changed after he enlisted because he came to realise that the war was nothing like the propaganda posters. Instead it was a “Death valley” which no man could survive. He then became a conscientious objector because he was lied to by everyone:
“Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.”
Owen wrote “Dulce et decorum est” to oppose Jessie Pop’s poem “Who’s for the Game” Pope described war as a game. Wilfred Owen was very offended by this poem because it suggested very inappropriate phrases when talking about war:
(“Who knows it wont be a picnic,” “Who wants a seat in the stand?”)
That is why he had to write a counter poem. Owen also wrote this poem to show the reader the truth about war. He also wanted to oppose “the old lie” that war is a:
(“Noble,” “heroic,” “honourable.”)
The title of the poem is ironic and shows his bitterness because “Dulce et decorum est” means it is sweet and honourable to die for your country but his poem shows the opposite.
Wilfred Owen describes the British soldiers as (“old beggars,” and “hags.”)
He uses emotive language to describe the soldiers to show the obscenity of the war. In Tennyson’s poem the British soldiers is described as “noble,” confident and “fearless” but in Wilfred Owen’s poem the British soldiers are described as weary, wounded, “choking,” “drowning,” and helpless. Owen forces the reader into obscenity of war because when the reader reads this poem it puts horrific images into their heads about the British soldiers suffering “like old beggars.”
In the second stanza Owen quickens the pace as there is a major gas attack and shows how slow the soldiers are to react as they are weak and helpless. He also describes how a British soldier “plunges” at Owen “guttering and “choking” hanging onto Owen for his life.
Owen’s use of free form reflects the chaos of war. However Tennyson structured the poem. In Tennyson’s poem the British were “Charging” at the Russians but in Owen’s poem the British were “guttering, choking, and drowning” and suffering to stay alive!
Throughout of “Dulce et decorum est” the pace of this poem changes. In stanza one it is a slow pace as Owen imitates the soldiers “trudging” home. In stanza two the pace of the poem quickens: “Gas! Gas! Quick boys!”
This is because there is a major gas attack. In stanza three the pace of the poem slows down again as he describes the soldier’s dramatic and personal death:
“The wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin.”
Owen focuses on one soldier dying so he can show his emotions and make the reader feel sorry for his suffering. It makes the poem dramatic and personal talking about individuals rather than groups of soldiers:
“If in smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin.”
Owen uses an angry tone and some sarcasm. He also uses a Latin motto
“Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.”
Owen commands the reader to act by using personal and direct voice “Dear friend.”
In conclusion the two poems present different perspectives of warfare. Owen’s poem is about a horrific experience whereas Tennyson’s poem is about war being honourable. Owen wrote “Dulce et Decorum est” because he wanted the public to know what really went on in the war and how the British lied to their own country. Tennyson’s message is that it is honourable to fight for your country.
