The The Analysis of Dulcet et Decorum Est. is provided below by first giving a brief description on the background followed by the poem structure and its meaning.
Background
The poem Dulce et Decorum est is a masterpiece written in 1917 by Wilfred Owen. The poem was written during the World War 1 and it also has a lot to say about the war. It was actually published after Owen’s death in 1920. Basically, the poem condemns the horrors of the World War 1 and also paints a horrific image of the war.
Poem Structure
The structure of the poem was very similar to the French Ballade. It assumes a formal poetic form which breaks the usual pattern and rhyming seen in most poems. With this formal form, the poet portrays the chaotic and disruptive events that characterized the World War 1.
The poem has two parts with each of them having 14 lines. The first part is penned down in the present tense. It shows the real actions of the war and how people were reacting to it. The second part takes a look at what happened in the war event right from the starting point. It sees the entire event as a dream which is being recalled by the writer. A formal poetic style is thoroughly used in the two parts. The entire poem seems to be a combination of two sonnets although the spacing of the stanzas is clearly irregular.
Poem Meaning
The title of the poem "Dulce et Decorum est" is a Latin sentence which means "It is sweet and right". Actually, the poet was writing about how sweet and right it is for one to die in his or her country even during the war. Most supporters of the World War 1 held this view. All through the war period, the notion became very relevant to soldiers. In any case, the poet was actually sending a message to the future generation telling them about the worthless nature of war. He maintains that war is never a glorious adventure unlike the view held by the younger generation. Many young people see honor and glory in war especially when they are allowed to participate in it. They fail to notice the ugly wreckage and after-effects that usually follow after the way. Nevertheless, the poet maintains that it’s good for one to die in his or her own country in an event of way.
Meanwhile, there are confusions regarding the dedication of the poem. The first draft of the poem was dedicated to a Pope who encouraged young men to join the war. Later on, the dedication changed in the later revised versions of the poem. In any case, the writer, Wilfred Owen actually addressed the poem to the large supporters of the World War 1. This is clearly seen in the last publication of the poem. The supporter of the war to whom the poem was addressed includes soldiers, ordinary men, and women who were part and parcel of the war. The author tries as much as possible to capture the horrific nature of the World War 1.
