Analysis of Dulce et Decorum est by Wilfred Owen and Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Analysis of Dulce et Decorum est by Wilfred Owen and Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson

In this essay I intend to discuss the two passionately opinionated war

poems, 'Dulce et Decorum est' by Wilfred Owen based on WW1 and 'Charge

of the Light Brigade' by Alfred Lord Tennyson which portrays the

Crimean war against Russia. Both poems are heart wrenching, emotional

and thought provoking, and expressively highlight the issues of war,

glory, death and heroism, all in explicit detail and compelling

imagery. I shall compare how one author can see war as glorious and

exciting whereas the other empathises on suffering, injury and loss

and tells us the reality in gruesome and uninhibited detail.

I shall study how different authors present and explore the brutal

realism of war, death and glory within the context of a poem. I shall

investigate if first hand experience of war differs the authors view

and how they portray the suffering and grievance. I will find the

effects that mood, tone, the raised and ignored issues have on their

targeted audience and the vivid images created in our minds. Also, how

powerful vocabulary and successful language features help to make

these issues so powerful, I shall investigate further.

Firstly, I intend to analyse the poem 'Dulce et Decorum est' by

Wilfred Owen, this poem is his personal account of when he was

fighting in World War 1. The title, 'Dulce et Decorum est' is very

symbolic and has a poignant meaning as it is Latin for; 'It is

courageous and honorable to die for your country'. Therefore, the

reader would instantly think that this poem is going to be promoting

war as glorious and...

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audience will believe that warfare is unnecessary if circumstances

like the one Owen described are happening. Tennyson's message is not

as clear, once reading his poem the audience will see the positive

side to war and the advantages of fighting for our rights. Both poems

have used thought provoking and fantastic imagery to portray their

differing and highly opinionated views on warfare. Powerful literacy

techniques and successful uses of metaphors and similies cleverly

enhance the story and increase the pace, which influences the

excitement. Therefore I can say that the experiences that a man has in

connection to warfare will defiantly affect their view and how they

present the issue in the style of a poem, also that poets will hide

parts of the truth to emphasise their view and capture their

audiences' minds.