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Dulce Et Decorum Est Analysis

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The experience of the WWI soldiers can only be described as horrific. Young men made up the majority of the armies in the Frontlines. Every day was a trial for each soldier if they are capable of continuing with the war. In the poem “Dulce Et Decorum EST” it describes the battles, soldiers had to go through in WWI. It is an experience that the soldiers would never forget. There was limited advancement in WWI because of the usage of trench warfare from both sides (Central and Allies). Right in the beginning of the poem, it explains, “bent double, like old beggars under sacks” (Owen, 2037). The postures of the soldiers showed the tiredness in the war. Back home, soldiers were displayed as marching in a straight posture to fight in the war. The …show more content…

The poem further explains the dangers that occurred in WWI, such as, “Gas! Gas! Quick boys!-an ecstasy of fumbling, fitting the clumsy helmets just in time” (Owen, 2037). The usage of gas in the form of chlorine brought fear to soldiers who weren't able to put on the gas mask on time. The effects of the chlorine scared soldiers who witness the impact on other soldiers. The chlorine gas would cause any soldiers breathing in the toxins to experience choking or drowning in their own blood. The moment the soldiers saw a green gas in their field of vision, they only had seconds to put on their masks to protect themselves from the toxic gas. Soldiers had seconds to choose either life or death based on their quick reaction to place the mask over their face. In “Dulce Et Decorum EST” soldiers will remember these types of gruesome experiences for the rest of their lives. The poem portrays the occurrence, “In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, he plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning” (Owen, 2037). Soldiers in WWI experience a psychological disorder called shell shock. Essentially, it's a disorder that soldiers go through after a long exposure to war and

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