Critical Analysis Of Dulce Et Decorum Est By Wilfred Owen

“Dulce et Decorum Est” is a poem written by a British war poet Wilfred Owen. In the poem, Owen describes his experience of the terror while fighting. Owen wrote this poem while he was hospitalized from shell shock.“Dulce et Decorum Est” is a Latin phrase which means that it is sweet and honorable to die for one’s country. Owen disagrees with that statement throughout the poem, especially in the last stanza. The poem talks about the misconception of war which people have and tries to warn them about how life as a soldier is before people volunteer to fight. The poem itself is directed to Jessie Pope who is a propagandist in World War 1 who would encourage people to fight in the war. Owen profoundly contradicts her opinions as he as had the first-hand experience in war.

The writer comparing soldiers to beggars in the poem could mean that instead of marching out to fight for their country in their clean uniforms, they are deformed not proud and do not look like the great soldiers shown in propaganda. The poem opens with “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks.” this is a simile which Owen uses to create the impression that everyone has been reduced to beggars. Owen uses pitiful terms to describe the soldiers such as - “Coughing like hags” and “Like old beggars.” which goes to explain how the soldiers have been reduced. I as the reader

This poem gives a different perspective to war compared to “Dulce et Decorum Est.” The poem tells the story of an ordinary soldier and the struggles he faces throughout the war. In the poem. A more personal view on war is presented here. During the war, soldiers weren 't allowed to describe their conditions as an officer would later read them and censor them. Soldiers would usually write home but were forced to lie as the army would not let them as they wanted the people at home would have the illusion that their loved one is