Dulce et Decorum Est

Question

BY WILFRED OWEN
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.
Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling

And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,— My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
1. In the first stanza, Owen uses two vivid similes. What are they and what purpose do they serve? Your response should be written in complete sentences and include embedded quotations.
2. The second stanza features memorably irregular sentence structure. Choose one part of the second stanza and explain why Owen may have arranged the syntax as he did. Your response should be written in complete sentences and include embedded quotations.
3. Stanza three is the shortest. Explain how it is a model of precision by selecting three words and analyzing how they serve one or more of the purposes of precision (to help others see connections between seemingly unrelated things through the

use of figurative language, to give pleasure, to see the world as it is rather than as how we want it to be, etc.).
4. Owen uses conditional statements (If, if) in the final stanza. What concrete details does use in the first, or possible, part of the sentence?
5. How would you characterize the imagery leading up to the second part, before he describes the consequence?
6. If we could experience the horror that the speaker did, what would our reaction be, according to him? Summarize the final four lines.
7. Given what he says in the final lines, what purpose do the concrete details used in the poem ultimately serve?

Answer 1

1. In the first stanza, Owen employs two vivid similes: “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks” and “coughing like hags.” These similes serve to evoke a visceral sense of suffering and fatigue among the soldiers. By likening the soldiers to “old beggars under sacks,” Owen emphasizes their physical exhaustion and degradation, showcasing a stark contrast between the idealized image of soldiers and the grim reality of war. Additionally, “coughing like hags” conjures images of frailty and illness, reinforcing the dehumanizing effects of the war.

2. In the second stanza, Owen writes, “But someone still was yelling out and stumbling / And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.” The irregular syntax here conveys a sense of chaos and urgency amidst the panic of a gas attack. The use of “still was yelling out and stumbling” disrupts the fluidity of the sentence, mirroring the soldiers' frantic attempts to put on helmets and save themselves. The simile “like a man in fire or lime” intensifies the horror, evoking images of burning and suffering, which captures the visceral panic of the moment.

3. Stanza three exemplifies precision through the careful selection of three words: “guttering,” “choking,” and “drowning.” Each of these words encapsulates the tragic fate of the drowning soldier with striking clarity. “Guttering” conveys the sound of struggling breath, evoking the imagery of someone gasping for air, while “choking” illustrates immediate distress, showing the struggle against gas. Finally, “drowning” presents an image of helplessness and despair. Together, these words create a vivid connection to the potential horrors of war, illustrating the graveness of the situation with precision.

4. In the first conditional statement of the final stanza, Owen writes, “If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace / Behind the wagon that we flung him in.” The concrete details here—“smothering dreams” and “behind the wagon”—paint a vivid picture of the aftermath of death in war. “Smothering dreams” suggests a suffocating, nightmarish quality, while “behind the wagon” provides a stark, realistic image of transporting a corpselike form. These details allow readers to visualize the grim experiences that the speaker is describing.

5. Leading up to the second part before he describes the consequence, the imagery is characterized by a stark portrayal of agony and dismay: “His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin.” This imagery embodies the transformation of the soldier from a living member of society to a grotesque figure plagued by suffering. By likening the soldier’s face to that of “a devil’s sick of sin,” Owen illustrates the profound emotional and physical torment experienced in war. The imagery is dark and filled with a sense of hopelessness, foreshadowing the horrific consequences of war that will follow.

6. If we could experience the horror that the speaker did, Owen implies that our reaction would be profound disgust and disbelief. In the final four lines, he states, “My friend, you would not tell with such high zest / To children ardent for some desperate glory, / The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est / Pro patria mori.” He suggests that those who understand the true horrors of war would not romanticize it or glorify the notion of dying for one's country, as the reality is far more tragic than can be conveyed to innocent minds yearning for glory.

7. The concrete details used in the poem ultimately serve to unveil the grim realities of war and disillusionment with its glorification. According to Owen, the detailed and horrific depictions of death, suffering, and degradation aim to challenge the noble ideals associated with patriotism and heroism. The visceral imagery and stark illustrations are powerful tools for evoking empathy, encouraging readers to confront the brutality of war and reject the seductive myths perpetuated about its glory.