- Write a critical commentary on 'Dulce et Decorum Est.' by Wilfred Owen. discuss subject matter, theme, imagery, words, structure and effects.
- Describe what the poem is about. explain what owen writes about. how is the poem connected to the poems of Jessie Pope and others.
Wilfred Owen was a soldier from the 1st World War, he was also a poet who critisized the war and people who believed the war was a good thing, like Jessie Pope. In this poem 'Dulce et Decorum Est.' Owen describes a particular gas attack where he saw a fe llow soldier dying painfully.
- Describe the poem's 'angry theme' why is Owen angry? Pick out two phrases that suggest this anger and explain your choice.
Wilfred Owen is angry at the fact people are making the war sound like isn't dangerouss and he also dislikes the fact people dont know the risks they take before they join the war. The phrase 'The old lie: Dulce et Decorum Est pro patria mori' suggests Wilfred Owen is angry at people that told the lie: Dying for your country is a sweet and honourable thing to do, he believes its wrong to tell people that.
- Explain how this poem is related to those of Jessie Pope. How is it different from the pro-war propaganda.
This poem was originally aimed at Jessie Pope because she was one of the people who made the war seem like it was a good thing to die for your country. This poem is different to Jessie Pope's pro-war poems because Wilfred Owen critisizes and shows hate towards the war whereas Jessie Pope makes out there is nothing bad about the war and that if you didn't go and fight in the war you would be called a chicken and Wilfred Owen believed this was wrong because he was anti-war ad he clearly shows in his poems.
- Write about the clear explanations the imagery that Wilfred Owen creates and describe the picture he creates in your head.
Wilfred Owen makes Dulce et Decorum Est a very visual poem by building pictures in the readers heads by using words that will create a picture for the readers. Examples of images used by Wilfred Owen are; 'An ecstacy of fumbling, fitting the clumsy helmets just in time...' these choice of words givr the image of many men frantically fumbling for their helmets and just pulling them on in time.
Laseni Olabode
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