Themes in Dulce Et Decorum Est Essay

Dulce Et Decorum Est

In the poem Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen, the poem uses the theme of conflict, danger and death to enhance the mood.

The poem starts by talking about a day in the First World War when a group of soldiers who are extremely tired after a battle and are returning to base when all of a sudden they are the targets of a gas attack. This poem is focused on a particular soldier who fails to fit his gas mask. Using the soldiers death the writer shows us that in no way is it Sweet and fitting thing to die for ones country.

A technique used to enhance the mood is imagery. Such as, describing the soldiers as Bent double, like old beggars under sacks. By using this simile it gives us a good description of the soldiers and suggests how unclean, malnourished and the health the soldiers are. Another good image used is Drunk with fatigue this implies the idea of the soldiers being unaware of things happening around them but by saying they are drunk with fatigue gives the idea they are struggling to move, even stand because theyre so tired from fighting. By using words like sludge and trudge contrasts with the way an average person perceives the idea of a soldier, they are usually seen as marching and singing songs to keep up spirits however this is not the case here.

The second verse greatly enhances the mood by using conflict, danger and death the poet achieves this by creating a sense of urgency. The first words of the second verse are Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! this achieves the sense of haste the writer was trying to achieve by using short sentences and exclamation marks to grab the attention of the reader, also this contrasts with the first verse describing the sense of exhaustion to one of extreme panic and danger. However, we are reminded of the soldiers unawareness by the writers using words like fumbling, stumbling and floundring. The words stumbling and floundring are used to describe the man who fails to fit his mask, this is a good description because stumbling implies he cant control his movements and floundring suggests the idea of a fish out of water not being able to breath so it panics and moves uncontrollably.

The theme of danger and death are explored more later when the dying soldier is described as flung into the back of a wagon this increases the idea of urgency as there is no evidence care or ceremony for the dying man. By using the image of the soldiers white eyes writhing in his face it emphasises how close the soldier is to death as now the gas is affecting not just his movements now but his brain also causing his eyes to roll back until only the whites of his eyes can be seen. The gas is also affecting the soldiers vital organs such as his lungs which are described as froth-corrupted by this point the writer makes it very hard to imagine the immense amount of pain and suffering this man is enduring, the soldiers face is even described as hanging, like a devils sick of sin which suggests something as malevolent and destructive as the devil who is seen to thrive on the pain and torment of others, is being sick at the sight of this mans agony. Near the end of this verse the writer talks directly to the reader saying that you would not tell with such high zest this is the poets way of informing people that war is nothing like it is made out to be, it is not glorious or exciting , it is terrifying and saddening. The writer uses the title of the poem as the final line, this is effective because it casts the readers mind back to the meaning of the title and creates a sense of irony between the poem and the title itself.

In conclusion the poems way of enhancing the mood by using themes of conflict, danger and death were effective because the poet uses the idea of a soldiers horrifying death and then explain that the title itself is completely untrue, the poet himself calls it a Lie however, the idea that enhances the mood the most is the end when the poet explains that war is in no way glorious and that the soldier suffered and died for nothing.