"Dulce et Decorum Est"

An analysis of the form, content and context, as well as a literal reading of one of the greatest war poems, written by a World War I British soldier and poet, Wilfred Owen.

2,147 words () | 0 sources | 2001 United States

Paper Summary:

"Dulce et Decorum Est" is a poem written by a British soldier during World War I. The poem's horrifying imagery has made it one of the most popular condemnations of war ever written. The narrative poem realistically conveys a depiction of war - complete with weary soldiers marching "through sludge," "blood-shod" and "drunk with fatigue". This paper discusses how an analysis of "Dulce et Decorum Est" guides the reader not only through the poem's message (which is simple enough - "war is hell") but more importantly it provides an analysis of the form and structure of the poem, identifying and defining the literary and poetic devices used throughout the poem.

From the Paper:

"Wilfred Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est" is an extraordinarily powerful poem that conveys the harrowing disillusionment of WWI trench warfare. Owen uses language effectively to jar one's senses and to convey a sense of urgency, anxiety, and fear. "Dulce et Decorum Est" is a brilliant poem, but it is not a beautiful poem because its thematic scheme does not allow it to deal with a glorious subject. Instead, the poem is a powerfully naturalistic account of the horrors of war; hence it cannot utilize beautiful, traditional poetic language because the language of traditional poetry could not be used to accurately describe what the war, as well as modern experience, is really like. Therefore, the poem is meant to be disruptive, raucous, and naturalistic in its imagery, language, and figures of speech. The harsh, grating sounds and the cynical tone that run throughout the poem provide Owen the means to capture modern warfare. The tone of voice, both horrified and angry, conveys his doubts and cynicism to the established traditions and values which made him want to enlist in the war and think that it is, indeed, right and honorable to die for one's country. After seeing first-hand what war is really like, the narrator now attempts to convey the truth that war is really hell."