essay about dulce et decorum est

“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen

“Dulce et Decorum Est” is a poem written by Wilfred Owen after his experience of fighting in World War I. The title is a Latin clause meaning it is worthy to die for one’s country. However, Wilfred Owen shares the reverse opinion, implying that it is an awful death. Due to its language and visualization, the poem still resonates with people, making them think about the realities vividly pictured in it. The poet took a widespread notion about the glory of dying at war and used his poetic skill to show the reader it is the wrong idea.

“Dulce et Decorum Est” arises many themes, although all of them are centered on war, picturing a soldier’s experience and comparing the realities with the glorified perceptions of battles. The reader can see propaganda as one of the major subjects of the poem. The author attempts to show the way different sources idealized war, portraying it as a noble act but not as an event bringing disaster. The poem also portraits an untypical concept of a hero, suggesting that soldiers keeping their heads down survive longer than those trying to display valor. One more subject is patriotism, which created the dreams of many men who entered the war. However, at the moment they saw all the horrors, this image began to seem ridiculous. All of the themes hidden in the poem are aimed at proving the author’s position about the war being horrible and devastating.

The poet uses many literary devices when creating pictures of war in order to enrich the text and make it more vivid and meaningful. One of the widely used patterns is simile, as can be seen in the lines as “like a devil’s sick of sin” (Owen 19). It is aimed at making the text more colorful and interesting for the reader. There is also a metaphor used in the poem to show the physical state of the soldiers: “Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots” (Owen 7). Moreover, imagery is used throughout the poem to make the readers feel all the emotions. Many vivid images are included in the text to create a picture of war, such as “had lost their boots” to immerse the reader into the atmosphere of pain and disaster (Owen 5). It is aimed at allowing the audience experience real feelings of warriors. The analysis of the poem shows that the author skillfully used his personal experience together with literary devices in order to create a special atmosphere targeted at attracting people’s attention to the realities of war.

In the poem, there are two major symbols supporting the poet’s perceptions. The first is disfiguration, showing the way war alters everything, including the human body, which is eventually destroyed. It can be seen in the first lines of the poem: “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags” (Owen 1). The poet implies that the soldiers are not the men they used to be before the battle. The second symbol is the concept of the nightmare, as Owen presents the war as a horror, which is impossible to understand. However, all the atrocities, which happened to the soldiers are not a dream. The way the poet showed the war as a nightmare adds to the terror the poem arouses. All the symbols used in the text are aimed at supporting the author’s position about was bringing nothing but disasters.

In conclusion, Wilfred Owen created a poem, which resonates even today. The poet attempted to prove that the perceptions of war as a glorious act are wrong. The fact is that there is nothing noble in dying at war, and soldiers realize the whole concept of patriotism is wrong as soon as they come to battle and witness all the horrors. The poet used unique symbols and literary devices, such as metaphors and hyperboles, to provide proof to his position, and make the reader terrified with the poem and the concept of war.

Owen, Wilfred. “Dulce et Decorum Est” , Poetry Foundation. Web.

Cite this paper

• Chicago (N-B)
• Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2022, April 18). “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen. Retrieved from https://studycorgi.com/dulce-et-decorum-est-by-wilfred-owen/

StudyCorgi. (2022, April 18). “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen. https://studycorgi.com/dulce-et-decorum-est-by-wilfred-owen/

"“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen." StudyCorgi , 18 Apr. 2022, studycorgi.com/dulce-et-decorum-est-by-wilfred-owen/.

1. StudyCorgi . "“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen." April 18, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/dulce-et-decorum-est-by-wilfred-owen/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen." April 18, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/dulce-et-decorum-est-by-wilfred-owen/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen." April 18, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/dulce-et-decorum-est-by-wilfred-owen/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) '“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen'. 18 April.

This paper, ““Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language.

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Dulce Et Decorum Est — Wilfred Owen’s View Of The War In His Poem Dulce Et Decorum Est

Wilfred Owen’s View of The War in His Poem Dulce Et Decorum Est

• Categories: Dulce Et Decorum Est Poetry Wilfred Owen

About this sample

Works Cited

• Lutz, Kimberly. 'Overview of 'Dulce et Decorum Est'.' Poetry for Students, edited by Michael L. LaBlanc, vol. 10, Gale, 2001. Literature Resource Center, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1420031148/GLS?u=tel_a_nestcc&sid=GLS&xid=1c66139b
• Moran, Daniel. 'Overview of 'Dulce et Decorum Est'.' Poetry for Students, edited by Michael L. LaBlanc, vol. 10, Gale, 2001. Literature Resource Center, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1420031146/GLS?u=tel_a_nestcc&sid=GLS&xid=4a471efd
• Owen, Wilfred. “Dulce Et Decorum Est” The Norton Introduction to Literature, edited by Kelly J. Mays, shorter 12th ed., 2016, Norton, pp. 878-879
• Puymbroeck, Birgit Van, and Cedric Van Dijck. 'Apollinaire's Trench Journalism and the Affective Public Sphere.' Texas Studies in Literature and Language, vol. 60, no. 3, 2018. Literature Resource Center, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A555548063/GLS?u=tel_a_nestcc&sid=GLS&xid=9e4e1db7     

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 996 words

10 pages / 4485 words

4 pages / 1740 words

2 pages / 1019 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Dulce Et Decorum Est

Poetry has the power to immensely change and morph human perspective, expression and emotion. Poets use their craft to speak to the realities, illusions and fantasies of humanity. The famous poet, Wilfred Owen, depicts the harsh [...]

Children grow up believing that war and fighting for their country is the most honorable thing to do. In the poem Dulce Et Decorum Est, the author is saying that dying for your country is sweet and prideful. The poem shows the [...]

World War One was a time of extreme patriotism, violence and agony. Many were affected by the nature of war and were encouraged to write stories and literature grasping war’s true reality, wanting to share with those at home the [...]

The manifestation of war within a society is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that elicits a wide array of emotions and reactions among individuals. War, as a socio-political event, exerts profound influences on the lives [...]

John Milton’s first encounter with death sent him reeling and kept him off balance for a long time. He found an escape in poetry, pouring out his confusion and frustration and sorrow in the now-famous poem Lycidas. The young [...]

The description of the two different battle scenes wherein Beowulf slays the monsters are described in great detail, and are both quite different. Beowulf's battle with Grendel occurs in the Danish king's mead hall-a civilized [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Dulce et Decorum Est Summary & Analysis by Wilfred Owen

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

"Dulce et Decorum Est" is a poem by the English poet Wilfred Owen. Like most of Owen's work, it was written between August 1917 and September 1918, while he was fighting in World War 1. Owen is known for his wrenching descriptions of suffering in war. In "Dulce et Decorum Est," he illustrates the brutal everyday struggle of a company of soldiers, focuses on the story of one soldier's agonizing death, and discusses the trauma that this event left behind. He uses a quotation from the Roman poet Horace to highlight the difference between the glorious image of war (spread by those not actually fighting in it) and war's horrifying reality.

• Read the full text of “Dulce et Decorum Est”

The Full Text of “Dulce et Decorum Est”

1 Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

2 Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,

3 Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,

4 And towards our distant rest began to trudge.

5 Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,

6 But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;

7 Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots

8 Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

9 Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling

10 Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,

11 But someone still was yelling out and stumbling

12 And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—

13 Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,

14 As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

15 In all my dreams before my helpless sight,

16 He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

17 If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace

18 Behind the wagon that we flung him in,

19 And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,

20 His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;

21 If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood

22 Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,

23 Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud

24 Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—

25 My friend, you would not tell with such high zest

26 To children ardent for some desperate glory,

27 The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est

28 Pro patria mori .

“Dulce et Decorum Est” Summary

“dulce et decorum est” themes.

The Horror and Trauma of War

• See where this theme is active in the poem.

The Enduring Myth that War is Glorious

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “dulce et decorum est”.

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs, And towards our distant rest began to trudge.

Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots, But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,

Lines 11-14

But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.— Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

Lines 15-16

In all my dreams before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

Lines 17-20

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;

Lines 21-24

If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—

Lines 25-28

My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori .

“Dulce et Decorum Est” Symbols

The Dying Soldier

• See where this symbol appears in the poem.

“Dulce et Decorum Est” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

“Dulce et Decorum Est” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Knock-kneed
• Haunting flares
• Flound'ring
• Froth-corrupted
• See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Dulce et Decorum Est”

Rhyme scheme, “dulce et decorum est” speaker, “dulce et decorum est” setting, literary and historical context of “dulce et decorum est”, more “dulce et decorum est” resources, external resources.

Biography of Wilfred Owen — A detailed biographical sketch of Wilfred Owen's life, including analysis of his work.

An Overview of Chemical Warfare — A concise historical account of the development of chemical weapons, with detailed descriptions of the poison gases used in WWI.

Listen to "Dulce et Decorum Est" — A recording of "Dulce et Decorum Est," provided by the Poetry Foundation.

Representing the Great War — The Norton Anthology's overview of literary representation of World War I, with accompanying texts. This includes two of Jessie Pope's patriotic poems, as well as poems by Siegfried Sassoon and others and various contemporary illustrations. It also suggests many additional resources for exploration.

Horace, Ode 3.2 — One translation of the Horace ode that the lines "Dulce et Decorum Est" originally appear in. 

Digital Archive of Owen's Life and Work — An archive of scanned documents from Owen's life and work, including his letters, as well as several handwritten drafts of "Dulce et Decorum Est" and other poems.

The White Feather — A brief personal essay about the treatment of conscientious objectors in WWI-era Britain.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Wilfred Owen

Anthem for Doomed Youth

Mental Cases

Spring Offensive

Strange Meeting

The Next War

Everything you need for every book you read.