Dulce et Decorum Est Flashcards
(9 cards)
context
Historical Context: Owen wrote this poem during his time at Craiglockhart War Hospital, where he was treated for shell shock. His experiences in the trenches profoundly influenced his writing.
Literary Context: Owen was part of the war poets’ movement, which sought to counteract the romanticized portrayals of war prevalent in earlier literature.
Personal Context: The poem is partly a response to Jessie Pope, a poet who encouraged young men to enlist, epitomized in her poem “Who’s for the Game?”. Owen’s final stanza directly addresses the “old lie” perpetuated by such sentiments.
language and imagery
Vivid Descriptions: Owen employs graphic imagery to convey the gruesome effects of war, such as “guttering, choking, drowning,” illustrating the agonizing death of a soldier from a gas attack.
Irony: The title and the final lines serve as a stark contrast to the horrific scenes depicted, highlighting the discrepancy between patriotic ideals and the brutal reality of war.
Alliteration and Onomatopoeia: Phrases like “coughing like hags” and “flound’ring like a man in fire or lime” utilize sound devices to enhance the sensory experience of the poem
structure and form
Form: The poem is structured in two parts: the first describes a gas attack and its immediate aftermath, while the second reflects on the experience and its implications.
Rhyme Scheme: Owen uses a traditional ABAB rhyme scheme, which contrasts with the chaotic and violent imagery, perhaps to emphasize the dissonance between formality and content.
Pacing: The use of enjambment and caesurae creates a sense of urgency and disarray, mirroring the soldiers’ experiences
themes
The Horrors of War: The poem graphically depicts the physical and psychological toll of war on soldiers.
Patriotism and Sacrifice: Owen critiques the notion that dying for one’s country is noble, exposing the grim reality behind such ideals.
Dehumanization: The soldiers are portrayed not as heroes, but as victims of a senseless conflict.
quotes
‘Bent double, like old beggars under sacks’
‘Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling’
‘guttering, choking, drowning’
‘The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est’
‘Bent double, like old beggars under sacks’
literary techniques:
Simile: The use of “like old beggars under sacks” compares the soldiers to beggars, emphasizing their frailty and the weight they carry, both physically and metaphorically.
Alliteration: The repetition of the ‘b’ sound in “bent double” creates a rhythmic quality, mirroring the soldiers’ labored movements.
Imagery: The vivid description evokes a powerful image of the soldiers’ physical state, allowing readers to visualize their suffering and exhaustion
thematic implications:
Dehumanization: By likening soldiers to beggars, Owen strips away the glorified image of the military, presenting them as ordinary men subjected to the horrors of war.
Exhaustion and Despair: The comparison highlights the physical and emotional toll of war, suggesting that the soldiers are pushed beyond their limits.
Irony: The phrase contrasts sharply with the traditional view of soldiers as strong and noble, underscoring the poem’s critique of war’s true nature.
‘Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling’
literary techniques:
Repetition and Capitalization: The repeated and capitalized “Gas! Gas!” conveys the immediacy and panic of the situation, mimicking the soldiers’ urgent response to the threat.
Juxtaposition: The phrase “An ecstasy of fumbling” juxtaposes the typically positive connotation of “ecstasy” with the negative context of confusion and fear, highlighting the absurdity of finding a moment of frantic activity in a life-threatening situation.
Alliteration: The repetition of the ‘f’ sound in “fumbling” and “fitting” creates a sense of disarray and haste, reflecting the soldiers’ desperate attempts to put on their gas masks.
Imagery: The term “fumbling” evokes a mental image of clumsy, panicked movements, emphasizing the soldiers’ struggle to act swiftly under pressure
thematic implications:
Chaos and Confusion: The line underscores the disordered and unpredictable nature of warfare, where even moments of survival are marked by panic and disorder.
Irony: The use of “ecstasy” in such a dire context highlights the absurdity of finding any joy or relief in the midst of a life-threatening situation, challenging romanticized notions of war.
Mortality and Survival: The urgency to don gas masks reflects the constant threat to life soldiers face, emphasizing the fragility of survival in wartime
‘guttering, choking, drowning’
literary techniques:
Present Continuous Tense: The use of “plunges,” “guttering,” “choking,” and “drowning” in the present continuous tense immerses the reader in the immediacy of the soldier’s suffering, suggesting that the trauma is ongoing for the speaker.
Onomatopoeia: The word “guttering” imitates the sound of a candle flickering out, symbolizing the extinguishing of life. “Choking” and “drowning” evoke the sounds of a person struggling for air, enhancing the sensory experience of the scene.
Imagery: Owen’s choice of verbs creates a visceral image of the soldier’s desperate attempts to breathe, conveying the horror and futility of his situation.
thematic implications:
The Horrors of War: The line vividly depicts the physical agony and helplessness experienced by soldiers, challenging the romanticized notions of war.
Trauma and Memory: The speaker’s recounting of this moment suggests the lasting impact of war on soldiers’ psyches, highlighting themes of trauma and the haunting nature of violent memories.
Irony and Disillusionment: The stark contrast between the soldier’s suffering and the idea that it is “sweet and fitting” to die for one’s country exposes the falsehood of patriotic sentiments used to justify war.
‘The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est’
literary techniques:
Direct Address: By using “My friend,” Owen personalizes the message, suggesting that the reader (or listener) is complicit in perpetuating the glorified image of war.
Juxtaposition: The contrast between the horrific imagery in the preceding lines and the idealized notion of dying for one’s country highlights the stark difference between reality and propaganda.
Irony: The phrase “old Lie” is ironic because it suggests that the glorification of war is a longstanding deception, yet it continues to be perpetuated.
thematic implications:
Critique of Propaganda: Owen condemns the use of patriotic rhetoric to manipulate young men into enlisting, exposing the falsehoods behind such messages.
Reality vs. Idealism: The line underscores the disparity between the romanticized view of war and its grim reality, urging readers to confront the truth.
Moral Responsibility: By addressing the reader directly, Owen implies that individuals have a duty to question and reject misleading narratives about war.
