Critical Analysis of Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce Et Decorum Est”...

Critical Analysis of Wilfred Owen’s â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† Wilfred Owen’s poem â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†, is a powerful poem with graphical lifelike images on the reality of war. It is blatantly apparent that the author was a soldier who experienced some of the most gruesome images of war. His choice of words, diction, tone, syntax, and metaphor’s paint a vivid picture in a brilliant poem. His choice for the poem’s name is ironical in itself. The entire phrase is â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est Pro patria mori†, which basically translates to â€Å"It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country†. This was a common theme told to young soldiers during the First World War. The phrase itself came from a Roman poet named Horace. The argumentative claim†¦show more content†¦Wilfred Owen utilizes informal diction within this poem, his choice of words and jargon is keenly apparent with readers of military knowl edge and experience. His use of syntax and tone distinctly put the reader in the middle of crisis: Gas! GAS! Quick, boys! – As ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time, (Meyer 886) These few lines completely change the feeling of following battle weary soldiers marching to the rear, to complete chaos of the moment. The reader can feel the adrenaline rush through them as they picture young soldiers donning their chemical warfare gear while under attack. This gives the readers the impression of panic and urgency, even though they were exhausted. Equipping their gear â€Å"clumsy† distinguishes that the soldiers cannot put their gear on quick enough, helps to portray the urgency of the moment. Wilfred Owen leaves nothing to the imagination of the reader. He clearly explains that war is not â€Å"sweet† and shows the graphic nature instead by painting a gruesome display of death. He explicitly demonstrates through vivid images and carefully chosen words to articulate the horrors of war: And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin, If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs (Meyer 887) The reader receives a distinct mental image of one of the soldiers dying a slow and painful horrible death. These wordsShow MoreRelatedWilfred Owen : The Greatest English Poet During The First World War Poem Summary1358 Words   |  6 PagesDulce Et Decorum Est Wilfred Owen Wilfred Owen is recognized as the greatest English poet during the First World War. Wilfred Owen notable poems contains the lives and historical records. He wrote out of his intense personal experience as a soldier and wrote with unrivalled power of the physical, moral and psychological trauma of the First World War. From the early age of nineteen, Wilfred Owen wanted to become a poet and immersed himself in poetry, being specially impressed by KeatsRead MoreAnalysis Of Wilfred Owen s Poem Dulce Et Decorum Est1692 Words   |  7 Pagesweek’s poetry type, American slam and we are now studying Protest and Resistance poetry. The protest poem ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’, written by Wilfred Owen, challenges the dominant World War One ideologies of militarism and nationalism. You will find that this poem is a great example as it defies the dominant values and beliefs of war in Britain. Wilfred Owen Let’s discuss the poet. Wilfred Owen was one of the leading voices of the first world war. In January 1917, Owen was deployed but he was innocent