dulce et decorum est - Wilfred Owen

Question 1

“bent double, like old beggars under sacks” “knocked-kneed, coughing like hags”

Answer 1

descrbing the soldiers in action.

• image shows how the young soldiers are physically exhausted.
• The simile suggest that the soldiers might be begging for the conflict to end and begging for mercy.
• Both smilies suggests that the soldiers are physically worn out, they’re weakened.

Question 2

“Men marched asleep”

Answer 2

soldiers have to be alert

• The metaphor draws attention to reality of war as they have to be on guard all the time if the enemy suddenly attacks, they could defend themseleves.
• This explains why they are fatigue due to the state of horror they’re situated in.

Question 3

“All went lame; all blind; drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots of gas shells dropping softly behind.”

Answer 3

soldiers are not as youthful as they were.

• Three adjective “lame”, “blind”, “deaf” all emphasis that warfare has completely broken these youthful and energetic man.

Question 4

“Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!” “flound’ring like a man in fire or lime…” “He plunges at me, guttering choking, drowning.”

Answer 4

a change of pace to the poem, similar to experiences in trenches, unpredictated attack

the man who wasn’t able to put on their gas mask quickly, is suffering the consequences.

• Verb “flound’ring” and “plunges” shows desperation to survive yet the soldier is panicking.
• Cluster of three describes the stages of pain of the soldier, which get worse procressivly.

Question 5

“In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,”

Answer 5

suggesting that Wilfred Owen is having recurring nightmares about the attack.

Question 6

“the white writhing in his face, his hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin.”

Answer 6

the huge amount of blood shedded

• The grotesque imagery used “white writhing” which describes the reality of war as there is no time to have a proper buried for these poor man.
• The simile “devil sick of sin” shows even the evilest symbol is terrifed and sick from all the blood shed is happening because of the war.

Question 7

“the blood come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, obscene as cancer.”

Answer 7

the consequences of the gas attack.

• Gruesome imagery showing the inhumane death because of warfare.
• Smilie, obscene as cancer” highlights how merciless the attack is and how horrifying it is.
• Due to the lack of knowledge in these attacks, it is hard to cure the soldiers.

Question 8

“incurable sores on innocent tongues”

Answer 8

showing the attitude Wilfred Owen has about war.

• The adjective “incurable” highlights the lost of life and they can’t be saved.
• The noun “innocent” once again emphasises that soldiers who are youthful aren’t meant to die but enjoy their youth, however due to the war propganda “to children” for “some desperate glory”, the got lured into false promises.

Question 9

“The old Lie: Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori.”

Answer 9

this is the true atuhorion intention and message of the poem.

• Latin “it is sweet and honorable to die for your country”
• The verb “Lie” again emphasises on the fact that war is degrading, horrifying and cruel. He didn’t want young men to join from war propaganda and not knowing the true reality of life during war.
• Once again, the captial letters used in “Lie” highlights how important Wilfred Owen is drawing attention to the word.

Question 10

CONTEXT

Answer 10

• he enlisted in the army in 1915 and experiences in trenches and warefare brought him to rapid maturity.
• writing from experience
• he wrote to his mother about his experiences in war, one he wrote, “For twelve days I did not wash my face, nor take off my boots, nor sleep a deep sleep.”
• “gas shells” are a reference to an exploding shells that causes Wilfred Owen to be severely shaken.
• the gas here is a reference to mustard gas, which is developed due to the rapid developments in technology.
• Wilfred Owen was stationed at the front line, so experiencing this gas attacks are frequent.
• Wilfred Owen was injured and sent to a hospital, during this time, the doctor advised him to write down about his dreams he was having and wrote this poem.
• At least 8 million and 500 thousands people died because of WW1.
• It lasted 4 years when people thought it would be over by Christmas 1914.
• Wilfred Owen hid in a hole too small for his body, with the body of a friend, now dead with less than six feet away.
• This suggests Wilfred Owen has saw a lot of death with his comrades during his experiences in the trenches.
• the body slowly began to rot inside and out, which is a painful process.
• Men has to strapped their beds to prevent them from committing suicide due to the unbearable pain.
• Wilfred Owen In July 1918, he returned back to the front line as he doesn’t want to leave his comrades behind.
• He died 1 week before the armistatic was signed and when news of his death reached to his mother, the town’s church bell rang for end of war.