The Importance of "Dulce"
Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen, is one of those rare examples of poetry that, although relatively skimpy when it comes to symbolic meaning that probes deeper than the surface of the text, is so wonderfully written that it casts itself far above the status of an ordinary poem. It is not surprising then, that Dulce et Decorum Est, written during World War I, is sometimes described as one of the most important anti-war poems ever written, for it stands out among literature, forcing its straightforward yet powerful message upon the reader. The poem cannot simply be read and disregarded; it leaves a haunting and enduring impression that should force even the staunchest war supporters to consider war's downside. Dulce et Decorum Est has a standard a-b rhyme scheme throughout. It is interesting to note, however, that, when first read, the rhyme scheme can be overlooked by the reader (as it was by me), as it is so seamlessly woven into the rhythm of the poem. Many of the poem's lines are in iambic pentameter, though some of the most crucial lines do not fit into this rhythm. The poem tells a story, which is relatively simple when examined in terms of events. The speaker, marching among fellow soldiers during World War I, e
Owen goes on to say, "As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. " Images such as this further show how horrid it is to be a soldier in World War I. Owen then describes how, at every jolt of his comrade's wagon, "the blood/ Come[s] gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,/ Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud/ of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues. ncounters a gas attack by enemy troops. The word "haunting" in this line exemplifies Owen's feeling toward firearms (and, vicariously, toward war). Already, Owen has dispelled the image of the proud, strong, tireless soldier, who is eager to fight, and eager to die. The speaker of the poem is from that point forward haunted in his dreams by the vile image, and implores that people stop saying "dulce et decorum est pro patria mori," a Latin saying which means "it is sweet and proper to die for one's country. " Owen ends the poem by stating that if one had witnessed the things he's described firsthand, then one would not enforce the idea that "it is sweet and proper to die for one's country. The first line conjures an image of soldiers bent over at the waist, to such extent that it seems as if large sacks have been placed on their backs. Though Owen is accustomed to seeing these flares every day, they haunt him. The next two lines of the poem are, "Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs/ And towards our distant rest began to trudge. Owen then proceeds to embed this gut-wrenching image in the reader's mind, by describing such dreadful things as the man's "white eyes writhing in his face," and how his face looked "like a devil's sick of sin. Therefore, this poem, which can easily apply to today's world, is certainly one of the most important anti-war poems ever written. In the next stanza, Owen describes the gas attack that kills one of his fellow soldiers.
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Acceptance Essays
