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Comparing In Flanders Fields 'And Dulce Et Decorum Est'

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Thesis: McCrae and Owen both use rhetorical aims talking about either the glory or horrificness of the war, both authors persuade their readers.
John McCrae and Wilfred Owen are two of the most renowned poets of World War I. They both witnessed the horrors of the war and expressed their experiences through their poetry. "In Flanders Fields" is a poem by John McCrae that was written during the First World War, while "Dulce et Decorum Est" is a poem by Wilfred Owen, written after the war. Both poems depict the harsh realities of war, but they differ in their approach to imagery, syntax or rhyme scheme, and figurative language. This essay will compare and contrast how the poets use these literary devices to further their rhetorical aims.
McCrae's …show more content…

The poem is composed of three stanzas, each with a similar rhyme scheme: ABABCC. The repetition of the last line in each stanza, "We shall not sleep, though poppies grow/In Flanders fields," creates a refrain that reinforces the message of remembrance. In contrast, Owen uses syntax to convey the chaos and confusion of war. The poem is composed of four irregular stanzas, with no consistent rhyme scheme. The disjointed structure of the poem reflects the disorientation and disorder of the soldiers' experiences. Owen also uses enjambment to create a sense of urgency, such as in the line "Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling," which creates a frenzied and urgent tone.
McCrae's "In Flanders Fields" uses figurative language, such as personification, to emphasize the soldiers' bravery and the importance of remembrance. The first stanza personifies the poppies as "blow[ing] between the crosses," representing the soldiers' sacrifice and the continuity of life. The second stanza uses the metaphor of the soldiers as "the torch," which they pass on to the living to continue the fight. Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est" uses figurative language to emphasize the brutality of war and to subvert the traditional notion of glory and heroism. The poem's title, which translates to "It is

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