The use of compelling figurative language helps to reveal the reality of war. In the first line, "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,"(1) shows us that the troops are so tired that they can be compared to old beggars. Another great use of simile, "His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin,"(20) suggests that his face is probably covered with blood which is the colour symbolizing the devil. A very powerful metaphor is the comparison of painful experiences of the troops to "[v]ile, incurable sores on innocent t

ongues."(24) This metaphor emphasizes that the troops will never forget these horrific experiences. As you can see, Owen has used figurative language so effectively that the reader gets drawn into the poem.

Another tool in developing the effectiveness of the poem is the excellent use of diction. The word "blood-shod" explains how the troops have been on their feet for days without rest. Also, words like "guttering", "choking", and "drowning" shows us that the troops are suffering in extreme pain and misery. If you haven't noticed, most of these words are examples of cacophony, which are words with harsh and discordant sounds. As this poem is about how harsh and terrible war is, Owen's use of cacophony is very effective in generating the tone of the poem.

Is it really that sweet to die for one's country? Is it really worth it? Isn't family, love, and life much more i

Some common words found in the essay are:
World War, II Japanese, Decorum Est, Mussolini Stalin, figurative language, Owen's Dulce, , dulce et decorum, et decorum est, drawn poem, die one's, guttering choking, terrible horrific, dulce et, world war, decorum est, et decorum,
Approximate Word count = 595
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)