Examples Of Figurative Language In Dulce Et Decorum Est

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In the poem Dulce et Decorum Est, Wilfred Owen, a World War 1 officer and famous poet, portrays the terrors of World War 1 with the horrific imagery and alarming use of words. He goes in depth of his experience of a deadly gas attack where he lost a member of his fleet and how it affected him. The title is in Latin meaning, “It is sweet and beautiful.” The utilization of diction, imagery, and figurative language gives the poem a strong meaning while giving the audience an insight into the effect war had on the soldiers. Owen’s use of compelling figurative language gives the reader a better understanding of the reality of war. He starts out the poem with a strong simile, “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks” (Owen 1). This simile compares