"Dulce et Decorum Est," written by Wilfred Owen during World War I, exemplifies modernist poetry through its stark realism, innovative structure, and profound anti-war sentiment. Modernism, characterised by a break from traditional forms and a focus on the disillusionment of contemporary life, is vividly reflected in Owen's work.

Realism and Brutality

Owen's poem starkly contrasts the glorified view of war with its grim realities. The opening lines depict soldiers as "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks," immediately establishing a tone of weariness and suffering. This imagery strips away any romantic notions of heroism, presenting instead the brutal physical and psychological toll of warfare. The poem's graphic descriptions of a gas attack—where a soldier "plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning"—serve to confront the reader with the horrific consequences of conflict, challenging the idea that dying for one's country is noble or sweet

Innovative Structure and Form

Owen employs a complex structure that reflects modernist experimentation. The poem can be seen as a hybrid of sonnet forms, intertwining elements of both Petrarchan and Shakespearean sonnets while ultimately subverting their conventions. The first part captures the chaotic retreat of soldiers, while the latter shifts to a haunting recollection of death, culminating in the famous lines that denounce the phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" (It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country). This structural innovation mirrors the fragmented experiences of soldiers, emphasising the disarray of war.

Anti-War Sentiment

The poem's central message critiques the glorification of war and the societal narratives that encourage young men to fight. Owen's use of the phrase "the old Lie" underscores his rejection of traditional patriotic rhetoric, revealing the disconnect between the experiences of soldiers and the romanticised views held by those at home. This anti-war sentiment aligns with modernist themes, as it reflects a broader disillusionment with authority and societal norms following the devastation of World War I.

Historical Context

Owen's experiences on the front lines, where he witnessed the brutal realities of trench warfare and the use of chemical weapons, deeply influenced his writing. The poem vividly describes the physical and psychological horrors faced by soldiers, particularly during a gas attack, contrasting sharply with the glorified ideals of patriotism and heroism promoted by those who had not experienced combat firsthand. Owen's intention was to awaken the public to the grim truths of war, encouraging a more empathetic understanding of the soldiers' suffering.

Literary Context

The poem is also significant in the context of early 20th-century poetry. It represents a shift from the traditional, romanticised depictions of war found in Victorian poetry to a more realistic and critical approach. Owen's use of irony, particularly in the title, highlights the disparity between the glorified image of war and its horrific reality. By declaring the phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" an "old Lie," Owen challenges the prevailing narratives of heroism and sacrifice, urging readers to confront the true nature of warfare.

Conclusion

In summary, "Dulce et Decorum Est" is a powerful response to the experiences of World War I, reflecting Owen's desire to expose the brutal realities of combat and critique the glorification of war. It stands as a landmark in war poetry, emphasising the need for a more honest portrayal of the sacrifices made by soldiers and the profound impact of war on human lives.

The purpose of Wilfred Owen's poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" is to critique the glorification of war and to expose the brutal realities faced by soldiers during World War I. Through vivid imagery and powerful language, Owen challenges the notion that it is noble and fitting to die for one’s country, a sentiment encapsulated in the Latin phrase from Horace that forms the poem's title.

Key Purposes

1. Exposing the Horrors of War

Owen vividly describes the physical and psychological suffering of soldiers, particularly during a gas attack. His graphic depictions of soldiers "guttering, choking, drowning" serve to confront the reader with the gruesome realities of combat, starkly contrasting with the romanticised ideals of war that were prevalent at the time. This imagery emphasises that war is not glorious but rather a horrific experience filled with pain and death.

2. Critiquing Patriotic Ideals

The title itself, derived from Horace's ode, is used ironically. While Horace's phrase suggests that it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country, Owen ultimately declares this notion an "old Lie." By juxtaposing the poem's content with this famous quotation, Owen critiques the societal narratives that glorify sacrifice in war, arguing instead that such beliefs are misleading and harmful

3. Encouraging Anti-War Sentiment

Owen's poem serves as a powerful anti-war statement, aiming to sway public opinion against the romanticised view of warfare. By illustrating the traumatic experiences of soldiers, he encourages readers to reconsider the justifications for war and the impact it has on those who fight. The poem's emotional weight and stark realism aim to foster a deeper understanding of the consequences of conflict, making it relevant to contemporary discussions about war and its implications.

4. Highlighting the Psychological Impact

Beyond the physical horrors, Owen also addresses the lasting psychological trauma that soldiers endure. The haunting memories of the gas attack and the suffering of comrades linger in the speaker's mind, illustrating how the effects of war extend far beyond the battlefield. This focus on mental anguish adds another layer to the poem's critique of war, emphasising that the scars of conflict are not easily healed.

In summary, "Dulce et Decorum Est" serves to expose the grim realities of war, critique patriotic glorification, promote anti-war sentiments, and highlight the psychological toll of combat, making it a poignant and enduring commentary on the nature of warfare.

Allegory

In "Anthem for Doomed Youth," the entire poem serves as an allegory for the senseless slaughter of young soldiers, comparing their deaths to cattle being led to slaughter.

Alliteration

"Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" uses alliteration with the repetition of the 'r' sound.

Allusion

"Dulce et Decorum Est" alludes to the Latin phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori," which means "It is sweet and proper to die for one's country," highlighting the irony of this belief.

Anaphora

The repetition of "Only" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" ("Only the monstrous anger of the guns. / Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle") serves as an example of anaphora.

Anthropomorphism

Owen often personifies weapons, such as "the monstrous anger of the guns" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth," attributing human emotions to inanimate objects.

Anti-Climax

In "Dulce et Decorum Est," the poem builds to a climax with the gas attack, but the final lines reveal the anti-climax of the old lie about the glory of dying for one's country.

Antithesis

In "Anthem for Doomed Youth," the contrast between the sounds of war ("stuttering rifles' rapid rattle") and traditional funeral rites ("prayers nor bells") serves as antithesis.

Aphorism

The phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" in "Dulce et Decorum Est" can be seen as an aphorism, though Owen challenges its truth.

Assonance

"Doomed youth" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" features assonance with the repetition of the 'oo' sound.

Bathos

The juxtaposition of the grandeur of patriotic ideals with the grim reality of war in "Dulce et Decorum Est" creates a sense of bathos.

Cacophony

The harsh sounds of "stuttering rifles' rapid rattle" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" create cacophony.

Circumlocution

Owen's use of detailed imagery and extended metaphors in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" can sometimes lead to circumlocution as he describes the horrors of war.

Cliché

The phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" is used ironically by Owen in "Dulce et Decorum Est" as a cliché of war propaganda.

Climax

The gas attack in "Dulce et Decorum Est" serves as the climax of the poem, highlighting the chaos and horror of war.

Connotation

The word "cattle" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" carries connotations of slaughter and dehumanization.

Consonance

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" features consonance in phrases like "rifles' rapid rattle" with the repetition of the 'r' sound.

Correlation

The correlation between the sounds of war and traditional funeral rites in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" highlights the poem's theme of the inadequacy of ceremonial tributes.

Cyclic

The repetitive nature of war and death in Owen's poems, such as "Anthem for Doomed Youth," suggests a cyclic pattern of violence.

Decasyllabic

Many lines in Owen's sonnets, such as "Anthem for Doomed Youth," are written in decasyllabic meter.

Dissonance

The clash of sounds in "Anthem for Doomed Youth," such as "stuttering rifles' rapid rattle," creates dissonance.

Double Entendre

The title "Anthem for Doomed Youth" itself can be seen as a double entendre, with "anthem" suggesting both a hymn and a patriotic song, used ironically by Owen.

Dualism

The contrast between the home front and the battlefield in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" reflects a dualism in Owen's portrayal of war.

Emotive Language

Owen's vivid descriptions of suffering and death in "Dulce et Decorum Est" evoke strong emotional responses.

Enjambment

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" uses enjambment, such as in the lines "Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle / Can patter out their hasty orisons".

Epithet

"Doomed youth" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" serves as an epithet, highlighting the fate of the soldiers.

Euphemism

The phrase "passing-bells" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" is a euphemism for death.

Fricative

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" contains fricative sounds in phrases like "rifles' rapid rattle".

Hyperbole

The depiction of soldiers as "cattle" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" can be seen as hyperbole to emphasize their dehumanization.

Homonym

The word "pall" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" is a homonym, referring both to a cloth covering a coffin and to a sense of gloom.

Imagery

Owen uses vivid imagery throughout his poems, such as the "blood-shod" soldiers in "Dulce et Decorum Est".

Iambic

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" is written in iambic pentameter, following the traditional sonnet form.

Innuendo

The critique of war in "Dulce et Decorum Est" is delivered with innuendo, as Owen indirectly condemns the glorification of war.

Irony

The title "Dulce et Decorum Est" is ironic, as the poem reveals the horrors of war rather than its supposed nobility.

Juxtaposition

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" juxtaposes the sounds of battle with traditional funeral rites to emphasize the brutality of war.

Leitmotif

The recurring theme of "wasted youth" serves as a leitmotif in Owen's poetry, including "Anthem for Doomed Youth".

Litotes

The understatement in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" when referring to the soldiers' deaths as "passing-bells" can be seen as litotes.

Lyrical

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" is a lyrical poem, expressing deep emotion and reflection on the loss of young soldiers.

Metaphor

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" uses metaphors such as "monstrous anger of the guns" to convey the horrors of war.

Meter

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" follows a regular meter, as it is written in sonnet form with iambic pentameter.

Mood

The mood in "Dulce et Decorum Est" is dark and somber, reflecting the grim reality of war.

Neologism

Owen's inventive use of language in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" includes creating new expressions like "wailing shells".

Onomatopoeia

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" uses onomatopoeia in "stuttering rifles' rapid rattle" to mimic the sound of gunfire.

Oxymoron

The phrase "shrill, demented choirs" in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" serves as an oxymoron, contrasting the expected peacefulness of choirs with the chaos of war.

Parable

While not a traditional parable, "Dulce et Decorum Est" serves a similar function by imparting a moral lesson about the realities of war.

Paradox

The paradox of "Anthem for Doomed Youth" lies in the idea of an "anthem" for those who are doomed, highlighting the contradiction between celebration and death.

Pentameter

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" is written in iambic pentameter, a common meter in sonnets.

Personification

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" personifies weapons with phrases like "monstrous anger of the guns".

Rhetorical Question

The opening line of "Anthem for Doomed Youth," "What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?" is a rhetorical question that sets the tone for the poem.

Rhyme

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" follows a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFFEGG, typical of a sonnet.

Rhythm

The rhythm in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" is structured and regular, following the sonnet form.

Satire

"Dulce et Decorum Est" uses satire to critique the glorification of war and the idea that it is noble to die for one's country.

Scansion

Scansion of "Anthem for Doomed Youth" reveals its iambic pentameter and sonnet structure.

Stanza

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" is divided into two stanzas, following the structure of a sonnet.

Structure

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" is structured as a sonnet, with an octave and a sestet.

Style

Owen's style in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" is characterised by vivid imagery and a critical tone.

Synaesthesia

The blending of sensory experiences in "Anthem for Doomed Youth," such as "wailing shells," can be seen as synaesthesia.

Symbolism

"Anthem for Doomed Youth" uses symbolism, such as "candles" and "pall," to represent traditional funeral rites.

Tone

The tone of "Dulce et Decorum Est" is bitter and angry, reflecting Owen's condemnation of war.

Trope

The use of the "doomed youth" trope in "Anthem for Doomed Youth" emphasises the tragic fate of young soldiers.

Truism

The poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" challenges the truism that it is noble to die for one's country, revealing the harsh reality of war.

How does Owen use the Gas imagery to evoke and enhance the themes in the poem? 

The imagery of the gas attack in Wilfred Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est" significantly enhances the poem's themes of the brutal realities of war and the stark contrast between the glorified perception of combat and its horrific truths. Here are some ways in which this imagery contributes to the poem's overall impact:

Vivid and Graphic Descriptions

Owen's use of vivid imagery during the gas attack serves to confront the reader with the gruesome realities of warfare. Phrases such as "guttering, choking, drowning" describe the agonising death of a soldier who fails to don his gas mask in time. This imagery not only illustrates the physical suffering inflicted by mustard gas but also evokes a visceral emotional response from the reader, emphasising the horror of the experience.

Contrast with Romantic Ideals

The imagery starkly contrasts the romanticised notions of war, particularly the idea encapsulated in the phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" (It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country). By depicting the chaotic scene of soldiers fumbling for their gas masks amid a gas attack, Owen highlights the absurdity and cruelty of war, directly challenging the glorified narratives that encourage young men to enlist. The visceral details of the gas attack serve to dismantle the myth of noble sacrifice, revealing the grim reality of suffering and death.

Use of Metaphor

Owen employs powerful metaphors to enhance the imagery of the gas attack. For example, he describes the scene as "under a green sea," which not only conveys the suffocating nature of the gas but also evokes a sense of drowning, a recurring theme throughout the poem. This metaphor reinforces the idea that soldiers are not only physically overwhelmed but also trapped in a nightmarish reality that haunts them long after the battle is over.

Emotional Resonance

The imagery associated with the gas attack creates a haunting emotional resonance that lingers throughout the poem. The speaker's recollections of witnessing a comrade's death become a source of trauma, as indicated by the line "In all my dreams, before my helpless sight." This personal connection to the horror of war underscores the psychological impact of such experiences on soldiers, further emphasising the poem's themes of suffering and disillusionment. 

Structure and Form

The poem's structure, consisting of four stanzas with varying line lengths, reflects the chaotic nature of war. Owen's use of enjambment creates a sense of urgency and movement, mirroring the frantic actions of soldiers during combat. The poem's irregular rhyme scheme also disrupts traditional poetic forms, reinforcing the theme of disillusionment with war.

Through these techniques, Owen powerfully conveys the horrors of war, urging readers to confront the grim realities faced by soldiers and to question the glorification of sacrifice.

Literary Analysis Of 'Dulce Et Decorum Est'

Look at the sample analytical paragraph below- What does it do well? What does it need to improve? 

What marks would you give it out of 5? 

How would you rewrite it so that it would be a 5/5 mark paragraph? 

The poem 'Dulce et Decorum est' by Wilfred Owen is a shocking and thought provoking poem

which details the experiences of soldiers in the trenches during WW1. Owen uses graphic

descriptions of life in the trenches to convey a powerful message to the reader. He uses many

important techniques to describe to the readers the graphics of war. He also uses his poetry as a

vehicle to express his ideas on the horror and futility of war. This poem was made to un idolise the

idea of war and to create an emotional response.

The reader is introduced to the horror of war in the first lines of the poem as Owen depicts the poor

physical condition of the men. "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks". This simile

demonstrates to the people reading the poem that both the mens physical and mental states have declined due to the war, which has  "bent" them over "double", with the weight of responsiblity and hardship, with the word "beggars" conveying Owen's sentiments that war is morally bankrupt and that the soliders are the ones to suffer under the economy of war 

The change of pace in "Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!" is a stark contrast to the slow, laborious pace of the

march as reflected in the long sentences of the first verse. The sentence structure encapsulates the

panic and urgency felt by the men. The use of short words and exclamation marks mirror their alarm

and the words 'Gas! Gas!' Are used to reflect the unexpected and abrupt nature of the attack. This

emotionally affects me as reader because when reading the poem out load it changes the pace

drastically and makes me feel upset because they were in such a hurry to put gas masks on.

Finally, the bitter irony of the poem is revealed in the last lines as he attacks those who would argue

that death in war is glorious, "my friend, you would not tell with such high zest". Here, Owen

employs the use of second person to address the stay at home patriots and those who would

encourage young men to give up their lives for their country. The use of 'my friend' is deeply ironic

and betrays his anger as he holds these people accountable for what he and so many others has had

to endure. The irony of the poem makes me upset because people are glorifying war and making it

seem as though it is something that young men should sign up for.

In conclusion, the poem 'Dulce et Decorum est' by Wilfred Owen is a deeply poignant poem that

uses a variety of powerful techniques to convey a powerful message. 

Wilfred Owen wrote “Dulce et Decorum Est” while he was fighting as a soldier during World War I. The poem graphically and bitterly describes the horrors of that war in particular, although it also implicitly speaks of the horror of all wars. While it is easy to comment on the “horror of war” in the abstract, the poem’s depiction of these horrors is devastating in its specificity, and also in the way that Owen makes clear that such horror permeates all aspects of war. The banal daily life of a soldier is excruciating, the brutal reality of death is unimaginable agony, and even surviving a war after watching others die invites a future of endless trauma. The way Owen uses language to put readers inside the experiences of a soldier helps them begin to understand the horrific experience of all of these awful aspects of war.

In the first stanza of “Dulce et Decorum Est,” the speaker thrusts the reader into the mundane drudgery and suffering of the wartime experience, as the speaker’s regiment walks from the front lines back to an undescribed place of “distant rest.” This is not a portrait of men driven by purpose or thrilled by battle. Instead, they are miserable: “coughing like hags,” cursing as they “trudge” through “sludge” with bloody feet. They march “asleep,” suggesting that these soldiers are like a kind of living dead. The terror and brutality of war have deadened them.

While the speaker is clear that the life of a soldier is painful and demoralizing, he demonstrates in the second stanza—which moves from describing the communal “we” of a regiment to a specific dying man—that death in war is also terrible: barbarous, agonizing, and meaningless. In the first two lines of the second stanza, the speaker captures the terror and dumb confusion of facing a gas attack (a feature of Word War I combat, which had never been used to such a terrible extent before that war), with the movement from the first cry of “Gas!” to the urgent amplification of that cry (“GAS!”), which is then followed by all the men “fumbling” with “clumsy helmets.” The speaker then describes a particular man unable to get his helmet on time, “stumbling” and “flound’ring” like a “man in fire” while the speaker can only watch helplessly from within his own mask. This other soldier's death is mired in confusion and pain. There isn’t even an enemy to face; it is a physically agonizing death offering no ideal or purpose to hold onto.

The poem’s very short third stanza suddenly plunges into the speaker’s own mind. In doing so, the poem reveals another aspect of the horror of war: that even surviving war offers ceaseless future torment. The surviving speaker describes himself as seeing in “all my dreams” this man dying in agony. The speaker can’t escape this vision, which means he can't ever achieve the "rest" that was the sole positive thing mentioned in the first stanza. The speaker's sleep is permanently haunted by the trauma of the death he has witnessed.

Since the third stanza is written in the present tense, it indicates that these dreams never fade. The speaker, who has survived—perhaps for a moment, perhaps the entire war—is permanently scarred by this trauma for however long his life will last. The poem’s portrayal of the horror of war, then, is complete and total. It reveals all aspects of war—living through it, dying in it, and surviving it—as being brutal, agonizing, and without meaning.

In its first three stanzas, “Dulce et Decorum Est” presents a vision of war—and World War I in particular—that is entirely brutal, bitter, and pessimistic. The fourth and final stanza marks a shift. While the first stanza focused on the “we” of the regiment, the second focused on the “he” of the dying soldier, and the third on the “I” of the traumatized speaker, the fourth stanza focuses on the “you” of the reader. In this stanza, the speaker directly addresses the reader, trying to make them understand the brutal reality of war. This is an effort to contradict what the speaker describes as the “old Lie,” the commonly held belief—communicated in the lines of Latin from the poet Horace (“it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country”)—that war, and dying in war, is meaningful and full of glory.

It is possible to read this last stanza in a hopeful way by imagining that the poem could effectively communicate to non-soldiers the brutality of war. In this view, Owen wrote the poem with the belief that by highlighting the juxtaposition between a sanitized image of honorable death (as described by Horace) versus the messy, horrifying truth of actual war, perhaps the poem’s audience will change its attitude towards war and cease cheerfully sending young men—mere "children"—to die in agony.

To read the poem in a hopeful way, however, requires readers to believe that empathy is enough to change central beliefs. This is a plausible reading, but it hinges on the speaker’s descriptions being disturbing and evocative enough to counter what Owen describes as a sentimental belief about war that dates back to antiquity—a difficult task for one short poem, no matter how powerful. In light of this, it’s perhaps a more careful reading of the poem to interpret the final stanza with a degree of pessimism. In this reading (while one might still agree that Owen wrote the poem in hopes of changing minds), the speaker is ultimately pessimistic about his ability to change the civilian public’s attitude towards war. As the speaker puts it: If the audience could experience the trauma the speaker describes (“the white eyes writhing,” the “gargling from froth-corrupted lungs”), then they wouldn’t pass their patriotic militarism down to their children. But they don’t experience it, except through the language of the poem, and the poem gives a hint of despair that such language isn’t enough.

In the final two lines of "Dulce et Decorum Est," Owen implies this pessimistic view in two main ways. First, and simply, the speaker allows Horace to have the final word. The speaker undercuts Horace’s lines by calling them a lie, but that description comes before the Latin text. That Horace’s words are allowed to end the poem implies a sense that Horace’s words and belief in the glory and honor of war will outweigh the vision of horror described by the poem. Further, by referring to this false story about the glory of war as “the old Lie,” and then quoting a Latin line from the Roman poet Horace, the speaker makes clear that the depiction of war as glorious is not just a simple misconception made by those unfamiliar with war. It is, rather, a lie—a purposefully told falsehood. And it is a lie that has been told for thousands of years in order to inspire young men to willingly give their lives to serve the political needs of their countries.

“Dulce et Decorum Est” is not, then, simply trying to reveal the horror of war to the unknowing public (though it certainly is trying to do that). The poem is also condemning the historical institutions and political/social structures that have, for time immemorial, sent young men to their deaths based on pretty tales of glory. The poem demands that the reader face the truth and no longer be complicit with that old Lie, but even as it does so, it seems to bitterly perceive that nothing will change, because nothing ever has.