Dulce Et Decorum Est Analysis Essay

Wilfred Owen, an English poet and soldier during World War 1, experienced the horrors of war. The experiences one can tolerate in war can lead to mental and physical problems and, in Owen’s case, death. Owen wrote “Dulce et Decorum Est” during World War 1 to show how inhumane warfare truly is. Through visual, gustatory, and auditory imagery, Owen allows the reader to feel as if they are part of the war. Owen uses visual imagery throughout “Dulce et Decorum Est” to reduce the “heroic” soldiers to people that hold little power or value. Owen writes, “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,/Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge.” The word “hags” connotes to an old, worn out woman. That woman would not hold any heroic power; completely destroying the reader’s image of the soldiers. The soldiers are “bent double” making them look like they are in pain and can barely walk on their own. Soldiers are supposed to be able to hold their own, and be able to protect themselves and our country. They are covered in “sacks”, not their military uniform which holds the soldiers to a respectable standard. The sacks degrade the soldiers to being almost worthless. Once the “sacks” get returned, they will just be thrown

The “flound’ring” sound of the man can be related to a fish out of water. The soldier is most likely screaming in pain while he flops around. The sound of the person struggling to catch their breath and attempting to rid of the fire or lime on their skin can be heard. The crackling of the soldiers skin burning under the acid and flames will stick in the heads of the readers.

Wilfred Owen describes the hardships of warfare through his poem “Dulce et Decorum Est”. Owen places the readers in the war with his many uses of visual, gustatory, and auditory imagery. Warfare is brutal, and Owen wanted to present the truth of what lving through war is