The Theme of Death in War in The Rich Dead and Dulce et Decorum Est

The Theme of Death in War in The Rich Dead and Dulce et Decorum Est by Wildred Owen and Rupert Brooke's The Rich Dead

It seems that war in society is inevitable - for long as it has been

historically documented, war has always been present. Although the

tactics by which wars have been fought and won have developed

throughout the ages, the outcome has always remained the same - with

the untimely deaths of many men. It is this idea of war that has

provoked intense controversy, with many people believing it merely

results with death and destruction, whilst others regard it as a

glorious enterprise and an altogether heroic adventure. During the

First World War, poets depicted these diverse aspects of war, with the

opposing attitudes clearly recognised in the work of Wilfred Owen and

Rupert Brooke. Owens anthology of war poetry is characterised by his

vivid and graphic detail concerning war and all its brutal

consequences. He also revolts against pro-war propagandists, not only

denouncing their beliefs but also by the way they brainwashed naïve

young boys into believing it was honourable to die for your country.

One such advocate of this idea was Rupert Brooke, his work

recognisable by a profound sense of patriotism. He wrote to depict the

courage and excitement of war rather than the harsh realities staring

them in the face, by means to entice young men into enrolling in the

army. This is exactly what Owen was objecting to.

I have chosen to study in depth the poems-'Dulce Et Decorum Est' by

Wilfred Owen-an ironically titled poem portraying the wasteful

futility of young lives lost at war and 'The Rich Dead' by Rupert

Brooke-a poem honouring the death of a war hero. I feel that both

poems effectively r...

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...he poem. Owen strives to provide a more realistic image of the

wholly unavoidable human suffering that war brings. I think the

following line from the song "The Green Fields of France" reflects

this image accurately when the writer describes his feelings while

standing in a World War One graveyard:

"To a man's blind indifference to his fellow man,

To a whole generation who were butchered and damned"

Rupert Brooke's work on the other hand is aiming to paint a pretty

picture of the harsh realities of war. Although in theory the romantic

principles presented by Brooke may seem attractive, to apply them to

real life is nave and idealistic. War might bring glory on a wider

scale, but to claim that a soldier's needless death in appalling

conditions is honourable is simply untrue. War may well be inevitable

but it is senseless and can never be justified.