Dulce et Decorum est Essay -- English Literature

Dulce et Decorum estThe poet reacts to the war by turning normal poetic language in tosomething that appears normal on the surface but in reality istainted. The poet also breaks from normal poetry to show society thenormal images of war. The ability to move the reader makes the poemwork which aids the reader in to understanding the false propaganda.The poem is about soldiers in trench warf be and is a great example ofwriting graphically to show the horrific spatial relation of war yet beingcompletely truthful. The poet does not withhold any information fromthe reader and conveys what it was like to fight in the War.The poet shows the pain in the poem. His tone, depression, miss ofhope reveals his message. He uses long sentences and metaphor to showthe tires soldiers. Picturing old beggar under sacks tells us whatwar has done to them. It also tells us they are battle weary andscared of what is ahead of them. The use of similes in the firststanza allows the reader to understand the anguish of war. The poet isable to use course the words to pigment a vivid and terrifying picture oftrench warfare in the mind of the reader. The Hags is connected withthe word beggers as they both outcasts in society. Whats more wordslike beggers, hags and blood-shod shows what the war has done to thesoldiers of war.. Through his use of vivid words and portrayal itmakes us understand the effects of war and what it involves. TheStanza continues Till on the dour flares, this suggests that thesoldiers are possibly disturbed and are being haunted by the flares.The last line further shows the effects of war, the soldiers are deafto the gas shells displace right behind them.In the second stanza the poem begin... ...ers were once the children ardentfor some desperate glory. Children here is used as the same reasonas boys, who were brainwashed in to sacrificing their lives. Theinnocent are willing to believe in the lie about the war, but the warwas totally different first go past hen ce the anger towards those whopropagated dying for your country in being noble.The old Lie the poet users a capital L in lie. This puts the warin perspective of being magnificent and patriotic. The readers attentiondoes not wonder during the poem because of the poets consistentimagery. By the end of the poem the reader can fully appreciate the banter between the truth of what happens at the Trenches and the liebeing told at home. The whole poem is contradictory to what was beingspread with Dulce et Decorum est.(It is a sweet and glorious thing to die for your country.)