The Old Lie Essay - 1062 Words

Everyone has heard poems, stories, and songs about the glory and heroism of war. It is a common image: strong, noble, courageous soldiers, helping a fallen comrade or sneaking up on the enemy, flying a plane through hostile territory to bring supplies to troops in need, running boldly into the front lines of a battle, or perhaps rescuing innocent civilians from the clutches of whichever evil army threatens them. If a soldier dies, it is bravely and beautifully, while â€Å"The Star-Spangled Banner† plays in the background. However, in his poem â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†, Wilfred Owen says this picture is not the reality of war. Though many people say that â€Å"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori† – sweet and fitting it is to die for one’s country –the†¦show more content†¦The overall message of the poem is that war is not glamorous, it is terrible, and this language show just how vulnerable the soldiers are: They â€Å"All went l ame, all blind;/ Drunk with fatigue†; they are â€Å"blood-shod†, as their boots are lost; the gas masks they rely on to protect themselves are â€Å"clumsy†, and they â€Å"fumble† when putting them on. Even when a man dies, â€Å"under a green sea†¦ guttering, choking, drowning†, they do no more than â€Å"fling† him into a wagon. The language conveys an atmosphere of desperation, bitterness, and defenselessness, and makes it clear that war is not a game – it is a horror. Wilfred Owen uses ugly-sounding words, strategically placed alliteration and assonance, and a simple, basic meter and rhyme scheme in order to put the emphasis on the images in his poem. Particularly in the first stanza, but in the rest of the poem as well, the poet uses words such as â€Å"beggar†, â€Å"hag†, and â€Å"sludge†, which, besides having negative meanings and connotations, have very unattractive sounds. The unpleasant sounds make the images much more horrifying, and show the reader how dreadful war really is. Alliteration and assonance also emphasize specific moments in the poem. In the second stanza, the repeated vowels in the words â€Å"fumbling†, â€Å"clumsy†, and â€Å"stumbling† accentuate the picture of the desperation and helplessness of the soldiers. The poet uses alliteration as well, when describing the man who isShow MoreRelatedThe History of The Old Lie and Poetry of Wilfred Owen2490 Words   |  10 PagesThe History of The Old Lie and Poetry of Wilfred Owen Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori is a Latin saying that was expressed by the roman poet Horace. It means It is sweet and fitting to die for your country. 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