Dulce Est Decrum Est
In the poem, 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' by Wilfred Owen, the social climate of the World War I era is reflected through the poet's use of vivid imagery and poetic techniques. The poem itself presents an a blunt impression of the world through its linking of ideas and language in its text. The poem addresses the falsehood, that war is glorious, that it is noble, it describes the true horror and waste that is war, with the aim of changing the way in which society thinks about conflict.
THE POEMS MEANING TO ME
The poem epitomises the futility and pointlessness of war. Not only is war a shocking waste of life, but it is ultimately barbarous and pointless act as World War I so horrendously ...
Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers
|
the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues.'
Owen generates two powerful images aimed at discouraging the mere thought of war by its emotionally distressing descriptions. The way in which Owen moved the images from a general concept to personal illustration by addressing the reader directly, 'If you could hear' indicated that I must place myself in this situation, and evoke the setting and all the associated emotions in my mind as I were in fact witnessing this event first hand. Perhaps to feel the emotions as Owen would himself. The poet helps this by precisely describing the surroundings and encouraging particularly sinister and dark emotions to surface. The vivid similes: 'obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud,' encourage a sickening reaction to the notion of actively engaging in battle. The idea of cancer represents the 'terminal' results and finality of war. Owen suggests ...
Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.
Already a member? Login
|
reader. As a reader I feel the relative stillness of the men's quiet attitude being quickly interrupted by these 'loud' words. A contrast is established. This image, and the one of the lone soldier dying 'awakens' the minds of the people who read the poem to the reality of war as being a terrifyingly sad way for young people to die, and that ideology of patriotism and honour is the cause of such sickening circumstance. Owen is, effectively, placing the blame of the war's consequences squarely on the shoulders of the society that supports it.
LANGUAGE AND TECHNIQUES
The language in this poem is quite simple yet vivid, encouraging the reader to understand the situation ...
Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library.
Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports,
and research papers in 2 minutes or less.
|
CITE THIS PAGE:
Dulce Est Decrum Est. (2007, May 19). Retrieved June 21, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Dulce-Est-Decrum-Est/65115
"Dulce Est Decrum Est." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 19 May. 2007. Web. 21 Jun. 2025. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Dulce-Est-Decrum-Est/65115>
"Dulce Est Decrum Est." Essayworld.com. May 19, 2007. Accessed June 21, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Dulce-Est-Decrum-Est/65115.
"Dulce Est Decrum Est." Essayworld.com. May 19, 2007. Accessed June 21, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Dulce-Est-Decrum-Est/65115.
|
Save
Report