Thread:HMSHOMEMADE1011/@comment-11254679-20130719030126

Poetry analysis- Dulce et Decorum est

The WWI poet Wilfred Owen has made clear in his poem Dulce et Decorum est the fact that he thinks anyone who says wars are good and noble, are liars. He uses connotative language and strong imagery to describe the setting in a grave and foreboding way. He also vividly paints a picture with his metaphors and similes. He strongly challenges the views of Jessie Pope as she describes the war as an exciting adventure.

In the poem Dulce et Decorum est, one of the most powerful tools Wilfred Owen employs to attempt to convince the reader is imagery. He uses imagery to portray war as a very dangerous and unpleasant place. For example the line "Watch the white eyes, writhing in his face" makes it clear that dying in war is not a noble and honourable experience. He instead shows that dying in war is in fact horrible and painful. Also "like old beggar under sacks" describes the soldiers in a very different fashion to how they were generally perceived as beggars are certainly far from being noble or honourable. It instead describes them as uncomfortable, exhausted and bloodshot. The imagery Owen uses shows how violent and bloody war is.

Owen also uses strong poetic devices in Dulce et Decorum est to further demonstrate his point of view that war is horrific. For example he uses many metaphors to describe the scene such as "drunk with fatigue". The men are of course not actually drunk however it is an accurate description of a state of tiredness beyond fatigue. He also uses simile and repetition to highlight the realism of war. His use of personal pronouns also makes the reader feel like a part of the action. Finally in the last stanza, he changes the pronouns and speaks directly to the reader with the line "My friend, you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory the old lie: dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" this really challenges the generic point of view that war is noble and right. These devices when put together really make the text more interesting and descriptive. The sound generated by the poem 'Dulce et Decorum est' helps reinforce Owen's metaphors, images and similes by creating a solemn and grave mood. This is also mirrored in the rhythm which is glum and sober. These really emphasises the poet's view that war is viscous and grim. The poet also uses many comas, full stops and semi colons to slow the pace and direct your focus to a particular word or phrase. For example in the line 'His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin, If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs' he uses the comas to slow the pace down and direct your attention to the phrase. The slow pace also directs the reader's attention away from the rhyme as this would give the poem a more cheerful feel. Together, the use sound in the text really helps Owen convey his message that war is horrific.

The structure of Owen's poem really helps the sound, imagery and poetic devices convey their message as it helps tie the whole poem together. The first sentence, 'Bent double, like old beggar under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till in the haunting flares we turned our backs, And towards our distant rest began to trudge.' Is very long whilst the second sentence,'Men marched asleep.' is very short. This changes up the pace of the poem and draws the reader in. Also, after the first two stanzas, there is a couplet then the last stanza. This couplet breaks up the larger stanzas and also helps the change of scene between seeing a fellow soldier die and walking behind the cart into which his body was thrown. This variety in the structure adds to the overall flow of the poem Dulce et Decorum.

Together, the imagery, sound and poetic devices hook the reader from the first line and really back up Owen's main contention. They make the poem flow and portray war as evil and disgusting- just how Owen sees it. Without the imagery, sound and poetic devices, the poem wouldn't be able to capture and convince the audience like it can with them. 