Figurative Language In Dulce Et Decorum Est

The poem Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen reveals the horrifying reality of the battlefiled. The poem is about Owen’s warimte experience which causes him to realise the old lie, Dulce et Decorum Est , which is interpreted as ‘it is sweet and fitting to die for your country’. With the use of literary devices, Owen shows that war is not glorious, it is traumatic and wasteful of human lives. His choice of figurative language such as simile, sound techniques and diction choices, help illutrate the theme of the horrors of war.

Owen uses various figurative language techniques to describe the harsh reality of the battlefield through his eyes. After a gas attack a soldier is left“ Flound’ring like a man in fire or lime”. This simile compares the victim to a drowning man, with the word ‘floudering’.

Through the reminiscent use of literary devices Owen creates a deeply poignant poem to express a very powerful message. Through this description of the physical, mental and emotional effects of war, Owen seeks to shed light on these horrors and in doing so highlights the tragedy of innocent men who are misled into sacrificing their lives for their country. This is still relevant to today because, he has set the tone for an entire generation of men and women thinking about war. It is a valuable message to our modern society as there are still deliberate attempts of those in the position of power to perpetuate myths of patriotism and nationalism that conceals the reality that soldiers face. This is the reality of some men where governments and militaries use propaganda in various crisis situations; whether it’s the war in Iraq, the war in Libya or the war in Afghanistan. It is to this end that Owen wishes to illuminate a message that enhances voice and rejects the machinery that so easily advances deception at the cost of