Dulce et Decorum Est

Question 1

Point 1 - Owen draws on his own experiences to describe the grim reality of WW1

Answer 1

• ‘Knock-kneed’, ‘coughing’ and ‘bent double’ - These all show the physical effect that the war had on soldiers
• The repetition of ‘all’ shows how all the soldiers experienced this
• ‘like a man in fire or lime’ and ‘devil’s sick of sin’ - this hellish imagery suggests war is like hell
• ‘Obscene as caner’, ‘froth corrupted lungs’ - Visceral imagery
• There is a change in tone during ‘Gas! Gas! Quick boys!’

Question 2

Point 2 - He emphasises the phycological effects of war

Answer 2

• ‘I saw him drowning’ - this draws on Owen’s own personal trauma
• ‘In all my dreams’ - Personal experience
• ‘He plunges at me guttering, choking, drowning’ - showing how PTSD has effected him
• ‘white eyes writhing’ - what he sees in his dreams
• ‘smothering dreams’ - the dreams effect him

Question 3

Point 3 - he shows his bitter anger towards those he see war as glorious

Answer 3

• ‘My friend’ - Ironic because this poem is directed at those who Owen disagrees with
• ‘to children ardent for some desperate glory’ - this shows how innocent children are being told that they should fight for the glory of fighting
• ‘The old lie’ - suggesting all that’s been said about war is false
• ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’ (It is sweet and noble to die for one’s country) - Ironic after what the poem has described

Question 4

Context

Answer 4

• World War One saw the introduction of technological warfare including poison gas
• This poem is a response to Jesse Pope(Whose for the game) which painted War in a positive light
• It was written during WW1

Question 5

Techniques

Answer 5

Irony, Tricolon, Simile, Personal pronouns, Visceral imagery, Fragmented setences