Wilfred Owen’s argument in “Dulce et Decorum Est”
Wilfred Owen, the poet of “Dulce et Decorum Est” was a British soldier who fought during World War 1. His poem was published in 1920 which was after his death in 1918. The title of the book is in Latin and it was taken from Homer’s Iliad and Horace’s line from ode 3.2 and it one of the most famous quotations from roman literature. Owen died at age 25 from shell shock during the last week of the war in the hand of the Germans but before he died, he wanted to convey a strong message to the world about the realities of war. One of them being that, there is no true honor in dying for one’s country especially if death is not necessary and the problem between the two parties …show more content…
This phrase speaks for itself and what it means is that most people support their country in any way possible weather it is for a good cause or not. The title “Dulce Et Decorum est” is Latin and means “it is sweet and honorable to die for the father land” it is very ironical compared to the message he is trying to pass across. He calls this the big lie and to even convey his message clearer, he puts the word “Lie” in capital. According to the poem, “The old lie: Dulce et Decorum est /Pro Patria Mori” (27-28). What the he really means is that there is pain and suffering involved in war. Wars are usually as a result of a conflict of interest of clash of ego’s between powerful people, the average soldier has nothing to do with this but he is the one that bears the consequences. Many people confuse the fact that there is honor in serving ones country with “there is honor in dying for one’s country”. The real honor is in serving ones country. Some of the people that die during war don’t even have their bodies brought back to be buried leaving the family devastated. War does more harm than good .There have been cases where a single period of war wiped out more than half of the population. Just imagine how many fatherless children, childless mothers or the pain and sorrow that will …show more content…
Another reason he tries to convey this message that back in the days young men were being lied to about the gloriousness of war to lure them into joining the army which was most likely what happened to him that made him join the army and now he is lamenting in regret. ”My friend, you would not tell with such high Zest to children ardent with some desperate glory”. He explains that the tales of war are usually told to young people in a way that makes it sound like a great experience in a bid to get the young children to join the
Wilfred Owen, the poet of “Dulce et Decorum Est” was a British soldier who fought during World War 1. His poem was published in 1920 which was after his death in 1918. The title of the book is in Latin and it was taken from Homer’s Iliad and Horace’s line from ode 3.2 and it one of the most famous quotations from roman literature. Owen died at age 25 from shell shock during the last week of the war in the hand of the Germans but before he died, he wanted to convey a strong message to the world about the realities of war. One of them being that, there is no true honor in dying for one’s country especially if death is not necessary and the problem between the two parties …show more content…
This phrase speaks for itself and what it means is that most people support their country in any way possible weather it is for a good cause or not. The title “Dulce Et Decorum est” is Latin and means “it is sweet and honorable to die for the father land” it is very ironical compared to the message he is trying to pass across. He calls this the big lie and to even convey his message clearer, he puts the word “Lie” in capital. According to the poem, “The old lie: Dulce et Decorum est /Pro Patria Mori” (27-28). What the he really means is that there is pain and suffering involved in war. Wars are usually as a result of a conflict of interest of clash of ego’s between powerful people, the average soldier has nothing to do with this but he is the one that bears the consequences. Many people confuse the fact that there is honor in serving ones country with “there is honor in dying for one’s country”. The real honor is in serving ones country. Some of the people that die during war don’t even have their bodies brought back to be buried leaving the family devastated. War does more harm than good .There have been cases where a single period of war wiped out more than half of the population. Just imagine how many fatherless children, childless mothers or the pain and sorrow that will …show more content…
Another reason he tries to convey this message that back in the days young men were being lied to about the gloriousness of war to lure them into joining the army which was most likely what happened to him that made him join the army and now he is lamenting in regret. ”My friend, you would not tell with such high Zest to children ardent with some desperate glory”. He explains that the tales of war are usually told to young people in a way that makes it sound like a great experience in a bid to get the young children to join the