Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est

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Literary Analysis of Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est”
The world is a changing place with many different countries and people in those countries who try to change the world from our past, future and present. When looking at poems from the past we are able to see the world through the author’s eyes of the time and possible a view into the future. History tells us to learn from the past to improve the future of our world. A way to learn about the past is by reading poems from a time most of us have no understanding or the imagination to know what it was actually like to survive during time of war. The world is not the same and the fights and battles are not the same as they were in the past. However, we all have the privilege to fight for what we believe in and this is because of the past battles the generations before us gave us who ensured our freedom we know today. Throughout history human kind has battled with each other for greed, land, respect and freedom and to no avail continues today. Today’s war is different from the past considering technology advances with weaponry and chemical agents are not used on people as they once were during times of war. The now banned chemical agents used in past wars caused horrific suffering to the final breath of the dying soldier.
Evaluating the poem by Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est,” it illustrates a soldier’s view into the world of war. The poem begins by describing how soldiers are “bent double, like old beggars, under sacks.” The people are “coughing like hags” and walking through mud. “Haunting flares we turned our backs”, the men continued marching tired with lost boots. The soldiers are “drunk with fatigue.” The soldiers yell, “Gas! Gas!” The soldiers put...

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...ree. History shows us that people in authority never have enough and they always strive for more. These heroic honorable men will not be forgotten because we remember their sacrifice through this poem. We as free people recognize our soldiers who fight to give us freedom, and we admire their strength and courage. These acts of bravery will never be forgotten.

Works Cited

Bloom, Harold, ed. "'Dulce et Decorum Est'." Poets of World War I - Part One, Bloom's Major Poets.Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2001. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://0-www.fofweb.com.charlotte.delco.lib.pa.us/activelink2.asp?
Brookshire, Sophia. "Analysis of Wilfred Owen's "Dulce Et Decorum Est"." Yahoo Contributor Network. N.p., 19 Sept. 2009. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. .

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