Literary Analysis Of Dulce Et Decorum Est By Wilfred Owen

The First World War was a devastating event that brought to many people, pain, sorrow and bitterness. The occurred compares to no other wars existing conventions, morals and ideals in the same way as did World War 1. Many people are blinded by the portrayed illusory of war. Those who sacrifice themselves for their country are looked upon for their meritorious conduct. However, others have been touched by the terror written in pieces of literature, wishing people to understand the horror and tragedy that befell those involved. Poet Wilfred Owen composer of"Dulce et Decorum est” presents to the reader a vivid elegy, aiming to prove that war is not heroic nor decorous. As an English soldier he had to endure the hardships, but wishes that through

Nevertheless, Shreya Kashyap explains the title of the poem is a “satiric and a manifestation of the disgust and bitterness the narrator holds for the

The first sonnet is composed of the speaker's experience during war. In the beginning Wilfred Owen describes a group of soldiers returning from combat: “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knocked-Kneed, coughing like hags”(Line 1). Wilfred Owen’s use of similes to illustrate the soldiers physical and mental exhaustion, “induces the convincing image of horrid and terrifying experiences of war”(Shreya Kashyap 2). Furthermore, Owen uses repetition of words such as “marched asleep”, “blind”, “limp” and “blood” to allow the readers to feel how long the march is for the soldiers. However, Shreya Kashyap points out that the soldiers were not simply tired and lacking sleep, nonetheless “they could not even hear the sounds of all the noises, hoots, bombs or the mighty shells”(3) . The action of the second stanza of the gas attack sees a change of pace and a sense of urgency. “An ecstasy of fumbling” Wilfred Owen uses irony once again. The situation that the speaker is describing, soldiers fighting to put on their helmets while gas surrounds them is not at all blissful. Shreya Kashyap elaborates saying that “it only describes the pictures of how tired and jaded they were”(3). With the use of similes Shreya comments, “the poet takes help from the outside to actually describe what he was feeling”(4). Although the speaker experiences these horrific events in person the poet uses similarity to minimize the pain of what he is witnessing.