Examples Of Figurative Language In Dulce Et Decorum Est

The history of war changes through generations. Every war throughout human history contained one common element. Death. In World War II, it was a pure and noble custom to sacrifice a loving son to war. However, those who survived realized how horrific and petrifying battle becomes. In the poem, Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen, war is translated through the eyes of the unfortunate sons that were overwhelmed during their struggles at war. Owen distributes the elements of diction, imagery, and figurative language to effectively express the emotions of the soldiers in hope of protesting the common societal outlook on war. Towards the beginning of the poem, Owen applies the use of figurative language to imitate the realities of war. In this imitation, Owen uses the simile, “bent double, like old beggars” to illustrate how soldiers appeared as they reluctantly marched through foreign lands (line 1). This adjacently suggests to the reader that the common soldier went about acting seemingly helpless and miserable. In result, this adds to the emphasis of Owen’s differentiable opinions in regards to the mindset towards war by society. …show more content…
Using imagery, Owen illustrates the gruesomeness and fearfulness of war, he states, “[a soldier] plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning…” (line 16). From this imagery, a picture is painted for the reader to infer how cruel death comes to those struggling to cling on to their lives when wounded in battle. Conclusively, the use of this imagery reinforces Owen’s frustrated attitude and disproves the falseness conceived in the minds of