Dulce Et Decorum Est Flashcards
who wrote Dulce et Decorum est?
Wilfred Owen
what perspective is Dulce written from?
first person- Wilfred Owen
who was Wilfred owen?
a soldier from WW1 that suffered from shell-shock- he was killed a week before the war ended
context and meaning of Dulce Et Decorum Est?
-shows his anger towards false war propaganda
- response to Jessie Pope
-shows his frustration that their death and suffering in war is futile rather than glorious
what message is the final stanza trying to portray?
that war is pointless
Analyse how repetition is used by Wilfred Owen.
the repeated “B” sounds in the first 2 lines of the poem create a bitter, angry tone
-the repeated sound also creates a sense of the monotony of war
what line does the pace of the poem change?
“Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!
how does the pace of the poem change after Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!?
shifts from long winding sentences to shorter, more fragmented ones. this mimics the sense of shock and upheaval in a sudden gas attack
-the phrase also creates a sense of urgency and panic to emphasise how frightening war can be.
how is direct address to the reader used by Wilfred Owen?
address the reader through words- “you” and “my friend”
-creates a sense of discomfort as Owen seems to be accusing the reader of being complicit in this lie through their lack of awareness of the realities of war
how is form and structure used by Wilfred Owen?
Irregular Rhyme form with four stanza’s of varying length. This reflects the lack of order and control of war
-poem follows a regular rhyme scheme ABAB which creates momentum throughout the poem. This emphasises the poetic voice’s passion and anger over the suffering he has experienced and his desperation for the truth to be known
finish the quote, “bent double, like…
old beggars
analyse the quote, “bent double like old beggars’.
simile- emphasises how war has humiliated these soldiers and aged them before their time.
-the description of them as “beggars” emphasises how powerless and pathetic they are
analyse the quote, “Gas! Gas! quick, boys! “
implies the naivety of the soldiers as called “boys”- lack of experience
-could also suggest a sense of teamwork as it is a collective noun so they could all act together
-also possible that the commanding officer is speaking. This would suggest that he looks down on them by calling them boys and not men
finish the quote, “in all my…
dreams before my helpless sight”
analyse the quote, “in all my dreams before my helpless sight”
-this emphasises how there is no escape from the horrors of wars
-dreams are meant to be positive and restful but even here the narrator is haunted by what he has seen- war takes a physical, mental and emotional toll
finish the quote, “froth-corrupted…
lungs
analyse “froth-corrupted lungs”
emphasises how visceral (emotional) the horror of war is
finish the quote, “to children ardent…
for some desperate glory”
analyse the quote, “the children ardent for some desperate glory”
the description of the soldiers and young boys who will follow in their footsteps as “children” emphasises how naive they are to believe that war was glorious
-also implies that these people are innocent and deserve to be protected from the horrors of war
final line of Dulce Et Decorum Est and what is means?
pro patria mori- It is sweet and proper to die for one’s country- Owen is lying
