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Dulce Et Decorum Est - Q & A

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27 views2 pages

Dulce Et Decorum Est - Q & A

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tashakay.thompson
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Dulce et Decorum Est* by Wilfred Owen:

1. Similes

The poem contains several similes, which help convey the soldiers' exhaustion, suffering, and horror:

"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks" – This simile compares the soldiers' bent posture to that of
old beggars, suggesting their extreme fatigue and loss of vitality.

"Coughing like hags" – Here, the soldiers are likened to old women coughing, emphasizing their poor
physical condition.

"And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime" – The soldier who fails to put on his gas mask in time is
compared to a man flailing in fire or burning lime, evoking a sense of intense agony.

2. Alliteration

Three examples of alliteration in the poem include:

"Knock-kneed" – The repetition of the "k" sound adds emphasis to the soldiers' unsteady, painful
movements.

"Men marched asleep" – The "m" sound here emphasizes the rhythmic but zombie-like motion of the
soldiers.

"And watch the white eyes writhing" – The "w" sound creates a sense of eeriness and horror in
describing the dying soldier's eyes.

3. Imagery

Imagery in “Dulce et Decorum Est” appeals to our senses, vividly portraying the horrors of war:

"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks" – Visual imagery that presents the soldiers as old and weary,
broken down by war.

"Coughing like hags" – Auditory and visual imagery here enhances the perception of soldiers as
exhausted, sick, and vulnerable.

"Blood-shod" – Visual imagery showing soldiers’ feet covered in blood, emphasizing the physical toll and
injuries they endure.

"Drunk with fatigue" – Metaphor and imagery together evoke a sense of disorientation and extreme
exhaustion.

"As under a green sea, I saw him drowning" – Visual and kinesthetic imagery as the soldier "drowns" in
the gas, evoking a suffocating, helpless sensation.
"The blood come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs"– Auditory and visual imagery that vividly
conveys the painful, grotesque death caused by gas poisoning.

4. Stanzas

The poem is divided into four stanzas.

5. Meaning of "Dulce et Decorum Est"

The Latin phrase “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” means "It is sweet and proper to die for one's
country" in English. Owen uses this phrase ironically to highlight the false glorification of war.

6. Who is Wilfred Owen and Why He Wrote the Poem

Wilfred Owen (1893–1918) was a British soldier and poet during World War I. Known for his vivid
depictions of the horrors of war, Owen used poetry to challenge the romanticized view of war often
promoted in his time. He experienced the brutality of the front lines firsthand, and his works aim to
reveal the trauma and suffering soldiers endured, countering patriotic ideals. *Dulce et Decorum Est*
was written as a response to wartime propaganda, especially the glorification of dying for one’s country.

7. Poetic Form

The poem is written in **irregular iambic pentameter with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF
GHGH**. It combines elements of traditional structure with a conversational, almost chaotic tone that
reflects the chaos of war. The form helps mirror the soldiers' despair and the jarring realities of combat.

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