Dulce et Decorum Est1

A detailed Summary of Dulce et Decorum Est1

"Dulce et Decorum Est," an anti-war poem by Wilfred Owen, ( ) conveys a strong meaning and persuasive argument. The anti-war theme and serious tone is extremely effective at portraying war as horrid and devastating. Upon my initial reading of this poem I felt overpowered by blood, guts and death. Although my reaction hasn't changed much through numerous readings, my emotional reaction becomes more intense with each reading. This poem makes me feel like I am right there watching the soldier who cannot fasten his mask fast enough and suffers the full effects of deadly gas. This poem also makes me look beyond the death and question the pain inflicted on the mothers who kissed their sons goodbye as they went to defend their country. I imagine the mother receiving word her son has died and is told how noble and patriotic his death was. In his last moments, the soldier and his family become victims of "The old lie" (610). The precise dictation, vivid comparisons and graphic imagery are the three major elements that influenced my reaction

More effectively than metaphors and similes, the graphic imagery that this poem explodes with drastically influenced my reaction to this poem. Some of the images in this poem nearly made me feel nauseas. The images I experienced in the readings of this poem could never be forgotten, especially when I take my three sons to register with Selective Services. My emotional and physical reaction reinforces how effective the author's use of imagery is in this poem. The image of the troops "drunk with fatigue" and deaf to the "gas-shells dropping softly behind" is a chilling image (610). As someone yells "Gas" it is an "ecstasy of fumbling" and one is still "flound'ring like a man on fire" (610). Through the "thick green light, as under a sea" the speaker sees the man drowning and describes the "gargling from the forth-corrupted lungs" (610). Each of these images are disturbing to think about, but exposes the reality of war. These images made me feel disgusted at what war is capable of.

Through the precise dictation, I could clearly understand what the au

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Approximate Word count = 713
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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Dulce et Decorum Est1

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