Wilfred Owen

Owen uses his poetry as a very powerful weapon. He does this by using clever and well-constructed poetical devices and techniques. Two of his poems which convey his powerful poetry are "Dulce et Decorum Est" and "Strange Meeting". In "Dulce et Decorum Est", Wilfred Owen attacks the old lie and the perceptions of war at home, and shows the indignity and horror of the war. He does this by strongly persuading the reader that war is not romantically heroic, but pointless, using his powerful techniques. In "Strange Meeting", Owen of war, and society's collapse without convincing poets. Owen ultimate love of persuasive poetry is revealed stongly in "Strange meeting". He shows war on a first-hand basis, and recounts it in his experience into his poetry. This is what makes Wilfred Owen's poetry so powerful.

In "Dulce Et Decorum Est", Wilfred Owen attacks the Old Lie: "Dulce Et Decorum Est, pro Patria Mori, as well as perceptions of war being romantically heroic, in his time. He attacks this line by using irony in his poetry. The title "Fulce Et Decorum Est" translates into : It is sweet anf honourable, but on the first line of the poem shows the exact opposite of what is expected. "Bent Double

. . .
He is strange because they have so much in common.

Owen uses onomatopoeia to show the absolute horror of the mustard gas attack. The dead soldier is "flung" into the wagon. He attacks wrong perceptions and the old lie. They have the same aims- to attack perceptions of glory back home, as they are both poets.

Owen true love of poetry, and the truth involved in it is what makes Owen's poetry so powerful.

Owen breaks these traditional heroic style- using broken Iambic Pentameter ( 10 syllaboles per line with 5 stresses- the stress sounding on the second sylabol of each foot).

Owen uses the same technique in another of his poems- "Strange Meeting".

Wilfred Owne also shows the terrible indignity of war in, after a terrible mustard gas attack, in the start of the second stanza. " Into vain citadels is a military stronghold- and it is not walled"- there is no point. He also uses compelling metaphors, vivid imagery and graphic details of the indignity of war. "Strange Meeting" shows the absolute pointlessness and futility of war. He shows the indignity, futility and the utter pity and shame of the idea of the war. Here, he shows the real horror of war by breaking the tradition that war is a romantic glorified battle.

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Approximate Word count = 878
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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