Dulce_Et_Decorum_Est

Dulce Et Decorum Est Many of these tragedies only a veteran could fully understand. All too often the ugliness of war is glorified, and even worse, glamorized. In the poem Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen, the glorification of war is sarcastically challenged. Owen’s anger is eminent, as he graphically describes war in terms only a veteran or embattled soldier could comprehend. Dulce et Decorum Est, means “It is sweet and becoming to die for one’s country” The title is used sarcastically, which the speaker defines within the very first phrase in the poem: “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks” The speaker continues the description of the once young and healthy boys: “Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs”, if the war enthusiast was not yet feeling guilty—now would be the time. The emotion that illuminates from these statements is powerful and intense. It is now clear, that one who has lived through war, could not possibly glorify it. The speaker vividly describes the hell soldiers endure while desperately trying to stay alive. Exhausted, injured, and “Drunk with fatigue” the men go on—terrified, yet brave, the men go on. These men are war, speaker, poem, men, young, through, man, yet, powerful, one, first, et, est, dulce, describes, decorum, death, while, veteran, very, understand, time, sarcastically, passage, old, now, never, life, leaders, just, grows, graphically, go, glorify, flung, feeling