Dulce Et Decorum Est

Dulce Et Decorum Est

Owen's attitude to war is justified by the title and the language used

in the poem. He is anti-war. He uses the Latin title ironically to

show his aim, that the translation of:

"Dulce Et Decorum Est"

Is a false saying. It is not good and proper or sweet and fitting to

die for their country, it is a lie as he points out in the final 3

lines:

"To children ardent for some desperate glory, the old Lie: Dulce Et

Decorum Est Pro Patria mori"

He tries to teach those that in turn teach their young to fight, that

dying for their country, their Queen isn't right, he shows how the

eager children:

"Desperate for some ardent glory"

Are actually excited and fuelled by the dreams put into their minds,

of fame, heroism and power, these children absorb these stories, the

propaganda spoon fed to them as fuel. It fuels the idealist mind of a

child and this would lead them to further believe and trust in those

stories and never reject the lie growing within them till they enlist

for the army and discover the truth hidden from them for so long, that

war is hopeless, war is horrid, war is mankind's creation. They will

grow to learn the frightening effects and results of a war and it is

this, which Owen hopes to prevent.

Latin in this poem is extremely significant; the phrase is the idea

behind Owens poem, the lesson he sets out to teach. Latin is a dead

language but was spoken by, many countries during the times of the

Roman Empire. Owen for the sake of this poem revives it. In my view he

is using the Latin as a metaphor for war, Latin is dead!

Owen suggests the propaganda of the past presents inexplicably false

stories with no real truth behind them. Owen is angry at those who

would ...

... middle of paper ...

...ighly patriotic or is tainted by

there countries propaganda campaigns, it is the lie, the lie that has

cost many jives and decimated many landscapes, its old, it has been

retold and taught for many generations, by grandparents, uncles &

aunties and the parents themselves who were taught it also, its

shouldn't go any further, it has cost too many lives already, Owen is

crying out stop the teachings, stop the slaughter of innocent young

men corrupted by their countries propaganda, stop it and keep it ended

because war doesn't solve anything, families are ended in wars,

innocent people and beautiful landscapes are destroyed in senseless

wars with only one point, Power for the country who wins but what is

greater? The cost of victory, or the survival of so many soldiers that

could be future fathers, or future scientists, writers and inventors,

think about it.