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

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.

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