Comparing Dulce Et Decorum Est And Anthem For Doomed Youth

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Recommended: Horror of the war in the poetry of wilfred owen

Within Owens body of work his purpose is to highlight and emphasise the troubles and hardships of war which have been concealed from society, whilst further conveying the futility of war. Owen advocates against an establishment determined to promote the continuation of a brutal war which place the desires of the elite and the upper classes before the needs of the common man. Owen dismisses the idea that war is just and honourable and in doing so, rallies against Victorian ideals. Owen describes war with great horrific and nightmarish authenticity within both poems ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’ and ‘Anthem For Doomed Youth’
‘Dulce Et decorum Est’ mocks the idea that war is fought by virtuous men and reliant upon individual acts of courage. Owen mocks this obsolete idea and instead shows war to be nothing more than a brutal power …show more content…

During World War 1 there were many reasons which the average man enlisted including patriotism, a feeling of obligation towards fellow soldiers and even the promise of clothing and meals. The advertisements of the time however played on the emotions of the people through false conceptions such as posters of people smiling and happy, playing sport, travelling to exotic places and meeting old friends. Owen attempts to represent the truth about war by revealing to the reader the brutal reality that both the media and advertisers attempted to hide from society. Showcasing the true realities of war through his literature by exposing of the fake conceptions and accusations of a war that resulted in the deaths of so many men.
Owens poems utilises language techniques to create emphasis, tone and establish context. He uses language to transport us to World War 1 and to make us feel the suffering and absolute despair associated with war. He also uses language to convey his attitudes on the futility and meaningless nature of

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