The Harsh Realities of War Illustrated in Dulce et Decorum...

During the course of Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen, the Horatian image of a glorified and idealized war is stripped away to reveal the bitter and vicious nature of a new era in the history of conflict. Language and imagery are employed to great effect in conveying this notion, in the rejection of the ‘strong and patriotic soldier’ stereotype, the description of the chlorine gas attack, the portrayal of the agonized and dying soldier, and the final scathing invective against those who exalt war, for example the intended target of the poem, Jessie Pope. Stanza One of the poem uses depressing and pathetic language to convey an image of a ragged band of soldiers forging on through a torn-up battlefield. Owen describes the soldiers†¦show more content†¦The somewhat hyperbolic declaration that ‘All went lame, all blind’ shows how the men had lost sight of the objectives of the War as it descended into a bloody and lawless conflict with both sides just caring about how much they hate the other. On a more obvious level, this could also refer to the clouded senses and numbed bodies of the soldiers, overcome by the sheer stress of the War. By emasculating the soldiers and describing the enhancement of their weaknesses and faults, Owen conveys the harsh reality of war to its proponents. Stanzas Two and Three convey not only the panic and fear that overtakes men in the heat of war, but the weight and devastating impact of a commander’s responsibility and the caustic guilt that ensues from perceived failure of one’s duties. The first four words of the second stanza, ‘Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!’ are disjointed, fractured and monosyllabic. They inject pace into the poem, forcing the tempo up from the sluggish lethargy of the first verse, creating a sense of raw panic and terror. The words seem almost incongruous, they do not belong in the poem, they are frenzied orders shouted out in the midst of a war. This lends a sense of gritty realism to the poem and is a scathing retort to the archaic concept of a refined, calm and unruffled soldier. The soldiers are presented as clumsy, weak and pathetic, unable to fulfil even simple tasks.Show MoreRelated The Views of Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen on War Essay2351 Words   |  10 Pagesand Dulce et Decorum est by Wilfred Owen. Both war poems but conveying their different feelings and presenting their views of war in radically different ways. The poets have polarized views of war with Rupert Brooke writing his poem in a romanticized and patriotic way referring to the possibility of death as a noble cause, for England the land that gave him life. This is at odds to how Wilfred Owen views the reality and horror of war. The poets choice of title Dulce et Decorum estRead MoreOwens Dulce Et Decorum Est : Portrayal Of War Analysis967 Words   |  4 PagesOwen’s â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†: Portrayal of War General William Tecumseh Sherman stated that, â€Å"War is cruelty† (Sherman). Yet past and present media propaganda use recruitment advertisements to portray military service as a noble and glorious profession. A majority of military propaganda that I have seen, heard, or read, is depicted in a positive manner. War propaganda focuses on the concrete aspects of benefits, skill development, and travel. Pictures of soldiers smiling and appearing contentRead MoreSuffering And Human Cruelty : The War Experience1282 Words   |  6 Pagesand inescapable in the war experience† By: Kristen Manoski Sixteen million. That is the number of deaths that resulted from World War One. 16 million soldiers, defending their nation, trying to do what is right. The violent and scarring nature of war is implanted into the minds of both soldiers and civilians, altering their personality, state of mind and placing deep strain on their lives.This years theme is â€Å"Suffering and human cruelty is inevitable and inescapable in the war experience†, and I, anRead MoreThe History of The Old Lie and Poetry of Wilfred Owen2490 Words   |  10 PagesOld Lie and Poetry of Wilfred Owen Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori is a Latin saying that was expressed by the roman poet Horace. It means It is sweet and fitting to die for your country. When Owen wrote his poetry based on his experience of the Great War he did not agree with this saying; he wrote poetry that was full of horror yet told the truth. Therefore he called this saying the old lie. Owen called it this because war was no longer skilful like it once