ANALYSIS ANALYSIS OF OF

‘‘DULCE ET DECORUM DULCE ET DECORUM EST’EST’

Planning your responsePlanning your response

Before you can plan your response Before you can plan your response you need to know the message Owen you need to know the message Owen was trying to convey to his audience.was trying to convey to his audience.

This means understanding the social This means understanding the social and historical context in which the and historical context in which the poem was written.poem was written.

Then you can judge how successful Then you can judge how successful Owen has been by looking at the Owen has been by looking at the poetic techniques he has used.poetic techniques he has used.

Poetic techniquesPoetic techniques

The following will give you a format for The following will give you a format for approaching a task of this type:approaching a task of this type:

Structure (including use of punctuation)Structure (including use of punctuation) Language (choice of words)Language (choice of words) Imagery (simile, metaphor, Imagery (simile, metaphor,

personification) personification) Rhyme and rhythmRhyme and rhythm Meaning (message)Meaning (message)

Essay writing for literatureEssay writing for literature

It is important to relate your It is important to relate your comments back to the original taskcomments back to the original task

You must use frequent references to You must use frequent references to the text to support points madethe text to support points made

Remember – PEERemember – PEE You must try to get into the mind of You must try to get into the mind of

the writer. Find out what he was the writer. Find out what he was trying to do and how effective or trying to do and how effective or successful you think he was.successful you think he was.

Modelling a responseModelling a response

The style of your response needs to reflect The style of your response needs to reflect the fact that you are writing a the fact that you are writing a literature literature essay.essay.

For example, comments on Owen’s use of For example, comments on Owen’s use of language could read something like this:language could read something like this:

Owen has used language which reflects the Owen has used language which reflects the appalling conditions the soldiers had to appalling conditions the soldiers had to endure. He needed to convey, to an often endure. He needed to convey, to an often ignorant audience (an audience brought up ignorant audience (an audience brought up on government propaganda where bad news on government propaganda where bad news was banned) the true horror of the war. was banned) the true horror of the war.

““He plunges at me, guttering, choking, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowningdrowning “ “

The graphic detail he has used creates a truly The graphic detail he has used creates a truly horrific picture – one that would have had a horrific picture – one that would have had a dramatic impact on the reader. This is further dramatic impact on the reader. This is further reinforced by the following lines:reinforced by the following lines:

““the bloodthe bloodCome gargling from the froth-corrupted Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,”lungs,”

The words used here to describe the soldier’s The words used here to describe the soldier’s dissolving lungs is a very graphic description of an dissolving lungs is a very graphic description of an appalling event that Owen witnessed. It is a appalling event that Owen witnessed. It is a description of a situation unknown to the British description of a situation unknown to the British public who were used to the glory and success of public who were used to the glory and success of the British Empire rather than such a gory death.the British Empire rather than such a gory death.

The intensity and power of this description The intensity and power of this description continues in the next line:continues in the next line:

““watch the white eyes writhing”watch the white eyes writhing” The use of the word ‘The use of the word ‘watch’watch’ is key as it is is key as it is

an instruction to you, the reader, to be a an instruction to you, the reader, to be a part of this horrific death.part of this horrific death.

This alliterative description brings out the This alliterative description brings out the agony of dying in a memorable way.agony of dying in a memorable way.

There is no glory here, only painful death, There is no glory here, only painful death, which was, of course, Owen’s intention. which was, of course, Owen’s intention. The reader is left in no doubt of the horror The reader is left in no doubt of the horror of war.of war.