Analytical Essay on “Dulce et Decorum Est” By ZA 2010 and 15 years of Age British war poet, Wilfred Owen, incorporates many techniques of poetry writing in his works. As a soldier, Owen often wrote poems which described the misery and hardships on the fronts of World War One. To illustrate the image and scenes of the conflict, Owen uses an array of techniques which can be noticed in his poem “Dulce et Decorum Est” In the poem, “Dulce et Decorum Est”, Owen recollects the event of a gas attack on returning soldiers. Owen writes the poem in his own voice and from his own experiences of war.

He addresses the misery, plight and hardships of war to his primary audiences in Britain. Owens main objective of writing “Dulce et Decorum Est” was to expose the horrors and realities of war, which were often concealed under the posters of pro war propaganda. The title, “Dulce et Decorum Est” are the words of a Roman poet, Horace, and was a familiar phrase at the time of World War One. This phrase was often used to encourage young men to fight for their country and die. Owen wrote his poems in opposition to this form of encouragement and its suggestions to young men. He contradicts the phrase by writing it as the “old lie”.

Owen has applied a structure to his poem which divides the events of the gas attack in to a series. The poem consists of three stanzas. The first and second stanza, are equal in length and have 8 lines, whereas the last stanza (third) has 12 lines. In the third stanza Owen shares his reflections about the gas attack and the death of the soldier. Owen is very deeply affected by the death of his fellow, and is disgusted at the horrid scene. The poet also communicates to the reader and condemns the encouragement given to young men to enlist in war- the “old Lie”, “Dulce et Decorum Est”.

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Most lines are of equal length, with the exception of the twenty-third, “Bitter as the Cud” and the final (twenty-eight) “Pro Patria Mori”. Owen has written these lines separately so that the reader can focus on the message and emphasise their thoughts on the ideas being presented- “Pro patria mori”- “sweet and fitting to die for ones country”- by separating this line, Owen questions the propaganda and the irony of war and its false depictions. The poet has used such a structure to illustrate the event of a gas attack in a series of events. Owens structure does not match more common structures as it has 28 lines.

Owens choice of structure can be closely associated with the “French” ballade structure which has a line sequence of 8-8-8-4, in total 28. The structure of the poem follows a constant rhyme pattern through all of the stanzas. Owen has employed a conventional AB, AB, CD, CD, rhyme pattern for first two stanzas. For the third stanza, Owen employs an additional EF, EF, rhyme scheme. This is a very basic rhyming scheme; however poems with such a “joyous” rhyme were much like others and easily remembered by people. There was a distinct contrast between the poetry of Owen and other war time writers, such as Jessie Pope.

Poets such as Pope wrote to glorify the perception of war among the public. Pope’s rhyme pattern helped to portray the propaganda poster image of soldiers “happily” and “excitedly” going to war to serve their country. Owen uses the same “joyous” rhyme, however to illustrate a negative scene of war, and of soldiers in miserable conditions. The rhyme pattern also applies emphasis to words with significance in the poem such as, “fumbling”, “stumbling”, “light”, “sight”, “blood”, “cud”. Owen wants the reader to slow and “punch” on such words to create a detailed visual imagination of the scene.

The sound is consistently slow and heavy throughout the stanzas of the poem. Owen describes the leaden scene of the war site with slow and heavy language such as “bent double”, “cursed through sludge”, “clumsy,” “ecstasy of fumbling”, “plunges”, “guttering”, “drowning”, “smothering dreams” and “bitter”. Owen paces the rhythm of his poem in relation with the soldiers. The poem begins with a slow rhythm which immediately adds a sense of heaviness. The slow rhythm relates with the slow and tired group of retreating soldiers. Words such as “haunting flares” and “trudge”/ “sludge” slow the poem and add heaviness.

Rhythm increases at the beginning of the gas attack (second stanza), as the soldiers scatter into panic. The tone then slows again as Owen depicts the death of the soldier and delves into a reflective mood, as the wagon slowly departs with the dead soldier. Owens uses words ending in “ing” to create a sense of heaviness and slowness in the pace of the poem. To illustrate the scene of the gas attack, Owen uses many poetic techniques. Owen uses horrid and unpleasant forms of imagery to make the reader realise the reality of war. Instantly from the opening lines, Owen makes an impact on the reader’s impressions about war. Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock Kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge”. Such phrases convey hardship, pitiful conditions and anguish of war. They are supported by detailed visual descriptions such as, “limped on, blood shod”, “floundering like a man on fire or lime”, “guttering, choking, drowning”, “white yes writhing” and “come gargling from the froth corrupted lungs”. These images are striking and appealing to the reader. They illustrate an intolerable and unpleasant scene, additionally exposing the lies of propaganda poster images.

Techniques such as similes also add to develop an ugly image. Such as, “Bent double like old beggars” “coughing like hags”- these similes which open the poem relate young men to old hags. The similes are also in contrast with the propaganda which often portrayed images of soldiers singing while marching to serve their country. Other techniques include metaphors, – “Drunk with fatigue” and “blood-shod”, which describe the miserable physical state of the soldiers. In the second stanza, Owen repeats the word “Gas” marking it with an exclamation mark. This draws the reader’s attention to the event and makes an emphasis.

Owen uses alliteration again, -“But someone still was yelling out stumbling”- this slows the pace of the event into a slow-motioned tragic encounter, as seen through Owens eyes. The alliteration gives more emphasis on the final word “stumbling” (which indicates that one person has failed) in addition with the rhyming emphasis. Owen again uses a simile, “And floundering like a man in fire or lime” which relates the soldier to the behaviour of animals in pain. The word “lime” is a metaphorical representation of the green acidic gas in which the soldier suffers.

At the end of the second stanza, Owen again uses words with the suffix “ing”. This adds the effect of a slow and painful death. Owen also applies great detail and description in his writings. Descriptive imagery such as “Dim through the misty panes” and “thick green light, as under a green sea, I saw him drowning”- such description gives a vivid illustration of the environment soldiers are in. This description illustrates dirty, murky, and polluted air in which soldiers are suffocating and “drowning”. Owen also uses emotive vocabulary through which he expresses his feelings about the event and war.

Emotive language such as “cursed”, “obscene”, “lame”, “deaf”, “helpless sight”, “innocent tongues”, “ in all my dreams”, “bitter” and “vile” show a realistic scene of war. Owen also uses a form of conversation with the reader. Through this form, Owen shares his own emotions and feelings, which influence the readers thinking. Owen often communicates with the reader in direct dialogue, for example “… You too could pace behind the wagon that we lung him in”, “If you could hear at every jolt, the blood” and “you would not tell with such high zest”.

In addition to his structure, Owen also uses punctuation to compose his poem. Every line breaks at the end. The regularity of punctuation resembles the poem with a written story or also a conversation. Owen wrote this poem with an evident intention. He wrote it in a specific mood and tone to influence the readers thinking about a matter, in the case of “Dulce et Decorum Est”, this was war. The poem is sad, distressing, and solemn, but at the same time horrific and alarming for the reader. He wishes the public view on war, an experience that he himself endured. Dulce et Decorum Est” moves the reader through the imagery depicted, powerful language and clever poetic techniques. Owens general resent for war is evident in the ironic title of this poem and also the last two lines of the third stanza, “The old lie: Dulce et Decorum Est Pro patria mori. ” He defines the phrase bitterly as the “old lie”. Owens entire poem demonstrates the irony of war and the way it is shown to the public through the method of propaganda. Owen shares his thoughts and opinions about war in the third stanza, and expresses more of his grief, anger and resent. Dulce et Decorum Est”, poem written by World War One soldier Wilfred Owen, depicts the reality of war in contrast to the image portrayed by propaganda. Owen uses a structured poem to present the event of a gas attack. To illustrate the event, Owen has employed many poetic techniques including simile, metaphors and alliteration. Owen had an ultimate purpose to write this poem, to change the views of the public who were influenced by pro- war propaganda. This poem gave me an insight to the conditions of World War One.

Owens ability to illustrate the scene by using poetic techniques is effective in developing a clear image of war in the reader’s thoughts. The poem is still relevant to the public today. Owens depiction of war can be closely related with most conflicts seen today. All wars have an element of irony, committing of inhumane acts, and no end result. Owen has given a detailed depiction of World War One through using many aspects of poetry. This poem has had a great influence on the readers. Owen accomplishes to inform the reader about the reality, often hidden beneath the propaganda which promotes war.

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