Wilfred Owens poem Dulce et Decorum Est is a very powerful and moving war poem. It is a protest against all innocent lives lost in the war

by khagag9nrrnsixorguk (student)

Wilfred Owen, Dulce et decorum Est.

In no more than 500 words, write an account of this poem in continuous prose, showing how the technique used creates the effect that led your interpretation of the meaning of the poem.

Wilfred Owen’s poem ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ is a very powerful and moving war poem. It is a protest against all innocent lives lost in the war and also a protest against all the lies that are told about how glorious it is to die for your country.

Sarcasm and anger dominate the mood of the poem with descriptions of dreadful and undignified struggle of soldiers during WW1 and strong criticism of civilians who promote war effort. This effect is achieved throughout the poem with wide use of alliteration, imagery and emotive language. The poem can be viewed as a sonnet with 28 lines which follows the ABABCDCD rhyme scheme. ‘Dolce et Decorum Est’ contains 4 stanzas where the meter is mainly iambic pentameter, however there are some disruptions. For example in line 9, there are 11 syllables; the line starts with four consecutive stressed syllables ‘Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!’ Powerful words and exclamation marks draw our attention to the terrifying gas attack and panic the soldiers were facing.

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The first stanza of the poem gives us a clear and detailed picture about the state of soldiers walking from the battlefield. Owen uses imagery ‘like old beggar’, ‘coughing like hags’, ‘all went lame’ and ‘drunk with fatigue’ to give us a detailed picture about the horrific state of soldiers broken by the war. The poet compares the soldiers to blind, exhausted and coughing beggars which is a complete opposite to proud soldiers marching in their uniform. Using alliteration ‘knock-kneed’ and ‘man march asleep’, the poet wants the reader to consider the fragile physical and mental state of the soldiers. Owen’s use of frightening verbs ‘yelling, stumbling’ guttering, choking and drowning’ in the second and the third stanza and imagery ‘flound ring like a man in fire’ and ‘I saw him drowning’ helps to set the ghastly mood and to visualize the desperation of the effected men during the gas attack. The detailed description of the dying soldier during the gas attack makes the reader feel saddened and forcing us to see the reality of the war. In line 15 and 16 the poet confesses that the picture of the dying soldier keeps him haunting in his dreams.

Using another powerful alliteration in the fourth stanza ‘watch with the white eyes writhing’ and graphic imageries ‘like a devil’s sick of sin‘ and ’obscene as cancer bitter as the cud’, the poet paints a graphic picture of a dying soldier in the back of the wagon. Owen also draws our attention to the torment and suffering of a dying man which can leave the reader uncomfortable. The bitter tone and sarcasm is clear in the last four lines of the poem. In line 25 the poet address the reader ‘my friend’ which is very personal and in line 26 he calls the soldiers ‘children’ which could be understood that they are innocent and helpless. Owen express his bitterness by using words ‘zest’ and ‘glory’ which are in complete contrast with the reality of the war full of horror and he derides the thought that it is sweet and honourable to die for your country. If people would know the true reality of the war, they would not be so eager to send their ‘children’ to join the war effort.

Word count: 547