English Dulce Core Flashcards
Context
This poem was written by the poet Wilfred Owen in October 1916. This was during World War One. The poet tells us about Owen’s first hand experiences of the horror and trauma of war. The poet tragically died at age 25, just one year after this poem was written.
Name some literary techniques used
Sensory appeal (touch), simile,contrast, exclamatory tone, sentence length, simile, sensory appeal (touch)
First sensory appeal
Touch , ‘we cursed through sludge’
First simile
In the first line, ‘like old beggars under sacks’
Contrast
Between title and first line, ‘Dulce et decorum est’ to ‘bent double like old beggars’.
False sense of foreshadowing
Exclamatory tone
Makes it panicked and fearful atmosphere. Tonal shift, ‘Gas!Gas! Quick Boys!’
Sentence length
Second stanza changes to short snappy sentences. Fear was rising as orders become more sharp and quick. ‘An ecstasy of fumbling’. Alarmed atmosphere
Second simile
End of 2nd stanza, ‘as under a green sea’. Talking about the dangerous gas. Helplessness, vunderability, desperation in soldiers.
Sensory appeal #2
Touch, ‘under sacks’ itchy and uncomfortable. Sympathy pain where the reader feels this too.
Name some language choices
First person, verb use, emotive language, verb use, tonal shift from short anecdotes to personally addressing the reader.
What does the opening lines set
The rhythm for the poem , rocky, reflecting the poets rocky lifestyle during the war. Shows he had an uncomfortable attitude towards war.
Conclusion points
absolutely opened our eyes to the harsh reality of war. Made us feel for the soldiers in Ukraine or wherever there is war. Made us realise that war has a lasting impact.
Dulce et Decorum Est is a powerful condemnation of war, using vivid imagery, sensory language, and personal perspective to expose its horrors. Owen’s message is unmistakable: war is not
glorious, but a brutal, dehumanising force that strips individuals of their dignity and leaves lasting psychological scars.
