Dulce et Decorum Est, Wilfred Owen Flashcards
“Dulce et Decorum Est”
At first glance, the title sounds honourable and patriotic, suggesting that the poem will celebrate war and sacrifice.
However, Wilfred Owen uses it ironically — not to glorify war, but to expose it as a lie.
“Bent double, like old beggars”
Simile emphasises how broken and weak war has left the soldiers.
“gas shells dropping softly behind”
The oxymoron ‘dropping softly’ highlights the soldiers exhaustion - the world makes no sense to them.
“Gas! Gas! Quick boys!”
Repetition of ‘gas’ creates a sense of urgency.
Exclamation marks highlight sense of panic.
“guttering, choking, drowning”
The stand-alone stanza reinforces the
horror of the soldier caught in the attack.
The verb “drowning” also suggests the impenetrability of the gas and how it is invading his lungs.
“dreams”
The repetition of “dreams” emphasises how war has infiltrated his sleep, how he can never have
peace, not even when he is sleeping
Final words – “the old Lie”
Allows Owen to highlight how war is not honourable or glorious, but cruel, degrading, dirty and horrifying.
Structure
Alternate rhyme scheme mirrors the soldiers as they march.
A combination of two different English and French poetic forms, in honour of the allied forces.
