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English
Date
Jan 9, 2024
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6
Uploaded by BailiffWolfMaster1029
Mohammed Farwana
ENG4U-06
Dec. 23rd, 2023
Poetry Summative
Part A
1.
Copy of poem attached including title and author’s name:
The poem's title is "Dulce Et Decorum Est," and it's written by Wilfred Owen.
2.
Year poem was written or published:
The poem was written in 1917 and first published in 1920, after Owen's death.
3.
List three detailed facts about the author:
Wilfred Owen was a British poet and soldier, renowned for his war poetry on the horrors of
trench and gas warfare.
He served in World War I and was killed in action just a week before the Armistice.
His poetry starkly contrasts with the public perception of war at the time, often illustrating the
grim realities faced by soldiers.
4.
What question would you ask the author if you could? (About the poem or about
his/her life)
"What personal experiences led you to write 'Dulce Et Decorum Est,' and how do you feel it
communicates the reality of war compared to the patriotic rhetoric of the time?"
5.
Physical analysis of the poem: (# of words, # of lines, # of stanzas)
The poem contains 217 words, 28 lines, organized into four stanzas of varying lengths.
6.
Topic/subject - this is what the poem appears to be about on the surface (no
hidden meaning)
The poem describes the gruesome experiences of World War I soldiers, focusing on a gas
attack and its aftermath.
7.
Brief summary of the poem:
"Dulce Et Decorum Est" graphically depicts a group of soldiers retreating from the front lines,
exhausted and weary. They are caught in a gas attack, and one soldier fails to don his gas mask
in time. The narrator vividly describes the man's agonizing death and reflects on the tragic lie
told to young men about the glory of dying for one's country.
8.
Theme: State a major theme presented in the poem and state what you think the
author is saying about that theme.
A major theme is the reality of war versus the glorification of war. Owen is critiquing the old
adage "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" (It is sweet and proper to die for one's country),
exposing it as a bitter lie through the lens of his traumatic experiences.
9.
Mood: In one or two words, state the overall mood of the poem.
Horrific, sobering.
10. Type of poem: narrative, lyric, or dramatic? How do you know?
It is a narrative poem, as it tells the story of a particular event and its impact on the narrator.
11. Personal reflections: Why did you select this poem? What is your favorite line?
Why?
I chose "Dulce Et Decorum Est" because it is a powerful anti-war poem that provides a vivid and
grim portrayal of life in the trenches during World War I. It is renowned for its raw realism and its
stark challenge to the patriotic propaganda of the time, which glorified war.
The line that stands out for its strong imagery and emotional impact could be:
"In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning."
This line is poignant because it captures the haunting trauma of war, where the horrors
experienced on the battlefield continue to torment the soldier in his dreams. It's a vivid
description of a gas attack and the feeling of powerlessness that follows. This line emphasizes
the poem's theme of the true cost of war, making it memorable and impactful.
12. What other work of art does it remind you of? (poem, song, movie, painting, etc.)
Song: "The Green Fields of France" by Eric Bogle, a song that reflects on the grave of a young
man who died in World War I and questions the purpose of war
Movie: "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1930 and its later adaptations), a film based on the
novel by Erich Maria Remarque, which similarly portrays the brutal reality of World War I from
the perspective of young German soldiers.
These works share with Owen's poem a deep exploration of the impact of war on individuals,
challenging the idea of war as glorious and highlighting its tragic consequences.
13. Confusing line or passage:
"The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori."
These lines could be confusing without understanding the historical and cultural context. The
phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" is a Latin saying taken from an ode by Roman
poet Horace, which translates to "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country." Owen calls this
sentiment "The old Lie," which is a stark contrast to the vivid and horrifying scenes he describes
earlier in the poem. I wonder why Owen refers to this as a lie, and this would require an
explanation that the poet is challenging the patriotic propaganda that glorifies war and depicts it
as honorable. The entire poem builds up to these lines, revealing the bitter truth about the
realities of war, which is in direct opposition to the traditional patriotic view that Owen criticizes.
14. Confusing words or passage:
Ecstasy: Intense joy or delight. In the poem, it is used ironically to describe the desperate and
frantic actions of soldiers trying to put on gas masks.
Hags: Old, ugly, and evil women in folklore; here, it's used to describe the decrepit state of the
soldiers.
Haunting flares: Flares that illuminate the battlefield, here "haunting" suggests they are a
15. Literary devices:
A. Rhyme scheme: The poem has an ABABCDCD rhyme scheme in each stanza.
B. Meter: It's written mostly in iambic pentameter but varies in places, reflecting the chaotic
subject of war.
C. Alliteration: “Knock-kneed, coughing like hags,” uses the 'k' sound to emphasize the condition
of the soldiers.
D. Repetition: “Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!” emphasizes the urgency of the situation.
E. Imagery: The entire poem is filled with vivid imagery, like “bent double, like old beggars under
sacks”.
F. Personification: The poem doesn't strongly personify non-human elements.
G. Parallel structure: The parallel structure is not prominently used in this poem.
H. Hyperbole: No clear hyperbole is present; the descriptions are starkly realistic.
I. Allusions: The title itself is an allusion to the Latin phrase which means "It is sweet and proper
to die for one's country."
J. Enjambment: Used throughout to carry over a sentence from one line to the next without a
terminating punctuation mark, for instance, “He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
K. Onomatopoeia: Not prominently used.
L. Simile: “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,” comparing soldiers to beggars.
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M. Metaphor: The comparison of the green gas to a sea is a metaphor where soldiers drown in
gas.
N. Irony: The title itself is ironic, contradicting the poem's message that war is not glorious.
O. Oxymoron: No clear oxymorons are present.
P. Paradox: The poem doesn’t contain a clear paradox.
Q. Understatement: The horrors of war are not understated; they are fully expressed.
R. Refrain: No refrain is used.
S. Symbolism: The "green sea" symbolizes the gas attack, which is lethal and inescapable.
16. Effect of literary devices:
The literary devices used in "Dulce Et Decorum Est" serve to vividly convey the horrors of World
War I and the gulf between the reality of the trenches and the perception of war at home. The
imagery and metaphors create a stark depiction of the battlefield, while the ironic use of the title
challenges the reader to question the romantic notions of war.
17. Sources:
1. "Dulce et Decorum Est Analysis - Literary Devices and Poetic Devices." LiteraryDevices.net.
Accessed December 23, 2023.
[LiteraryDevices.net](
https://literarydevices.net/dulce-et-decorum-est-analysis/
).
2. "Dulce et Decorum Est Summary." eNotes.com. Last updated September 5, 2023.
[eNotes.com](
https://www.enotes.com/topics/dulce-et-decorum-est#summary-summary-863937
)
.
3. "Dulce et Decorum est." Wikipedia. Accessed December 23, 2023.
[Wikipedia](
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulce_et_Decorum_est
).
4. "Wilfred Owen: Poems ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ Summary and Analysis." GradeSaver.
Accessed December 23, 2023.
[GradeSaver](
https://www.gradesaver.com/wilfred-owen-poems/study-guide/summary-dulce-et-
decorum-est
).
Part B
Applying New Historicism to Wilfred Owen's "Dulce Et Decorum Est" involves examining
the poem in the context of World War I's socio-political milieu, and how it interacts with the
cultural narratives of that era. New Historicism looks at literary works in conjunction with the
historical and cultural conditions of their time, rather than in isolation, to understand the interplay
between literature and history.
Written amid the First World War, Owen's poem is a vivid counter-narrative to the
prevalent war propaganda which employed the Horatian ode "Dulce et decorum est pro patria
mori" to glorify soldierly death. This Latin phrase, meaning "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's
country," became a motto to validate the war, reflecting the era's dominant patriotic fervor.
Owen's work subverts this idealized vision, portraying the grim reality faced by soldiers, thus
questioning the established ideologies and social narratives.
The poem presents soldiers as weary and decrepit, a stark contrast to the glorified
image of valiant warriors. Owen's raw depiction of war, particularly the chaos and horror of a gas
attack, challenges the romanticized image of war being an honorable affair. The soldiers' frantic
actions to survive, described with bitter irony as "An ecstasy of fumbling," disrupts any
preconceived notions of warfare's orderliness and nobility. The tragic and inglorious death of a
soldier from gas poisoning is detailed not as a dignified sacrifice but as a horrific event, eliciting
horror and empathy rather than pride.
A New Historicist perspective emphasizes the poem's subversion of power structures
and the official war discourse. Owen's graphic representation of the battlefield experience
exposes the sanitized versions of war propagated by those in power. His narrative serves as an
alternative historical record, giving voice to the common soldiers whose sufferings were often
muted or misrepresented.
In its concluding lines, the poem becomes a direct indictment of "The old Lie." Owen
confronts the reader with the harsh truth of war, challenging the inherited wisdom and cultural
assumptions about warfare and valor. He implores the reader to recognize the human toll of
war, undercutting the constructed narratives of heroism that were used to conceal the war's
brutality.
"Dulce Et Decorum Est" thus stands as a New Historicist exemplar, critiquing and
reshaping the collective memory of World War I. Owen's poem not only offers a somber
reflection on the conflict but also acts as a cultural artifact, contesting the dominant historical
accounts and fostering a reevaluation of the costs of war. It encapsulates the New Historicist
idea that literature can revise historical understanding by providing a more nuanced, critical
portrayal of events, influencing how societies remember and learn from the past.
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