Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est: War’s Brutal Reality
Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est”: A Poetic Legacy
Introduction to “Dulce et Decorum Est”
Wilfred Owen’s powerful poem, Dulce et Decorum Est, penned in 1920, stands as a stark indictment of war’s realities. Owen, despite a financially humble background, aspired to attend university but was unexpectedly drafted into World War I. In 1917, after experiencing the horrors of battle, he was diagnosed with shell shock and admitted to a mental hospital in Edinburgh.
Wilfred Owen’s Life and Influences
During his recovery in Edinburgh, Owen met fellow poet Siegfried Sassoon, with whom he shared strong anti-war sentiments. This encounter deeply influenced Owen, leading him to write a bold letter to the War Office expressing his opposition to pro-war propaganda—an act that could have been seen as treasonous.
After his recovery, Owen was sent back to the front lines in France, where he tragically lost his life just one week before World War I ended. It was during his time in the hospital that he wrote most of his poetry, including Dulce et Decorum Est, inspired by his firsthand experience. These poems were published posthumously in 1920, thanks to Sassoon’s editorial efforts.
Historical Context: World War I
The 19th century had been marked by imperial rivalries and rising nationalism, tensions which eventually exploded after the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir in 1914, prompting the outbreak of World War I. Initially, the conflict involved the Triple Entente against the Central Powers:
- Triple Entente: Russia, France, and Britain
- Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria
Later events, such as the Russian Revolution in 1917 and the U.S. joining the war following German attacks on American ships, significantly shifted the course of the conflict.
World War I was also the first modern war, heavily influenced by industrial and scientific advancements, including the use of devastating chemical weapons. Until 1915, military service was voluntary, but the Military Service Act of 1916 made conscription mandatory. Massive propaganda campaigns, overseen by the Ministry of Information and bolstered by strict censorship, kept the public unaware of the true conditions at the front, misleading many young men about the realities of combat.
Analysis of “Dulce et Decorum Est”
Poem Structure and Techniques
Regarding the poem itself, Dulce et Decorum Est consists of three main stanzas structured in pairs of quatrains with a clear rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH… Owen frequently employs participles and gerunds, immersing the reader in a vivid, immediate scene.
Opening Stanza: Retreat and Exhaustion
The poem opens with a stark depiction of soldiers retreating in utter exhaustion: “bent double, like old beggars under sacks, knock-kneed.” Some have even lost their boots, yet they continue to trudge toward safety. The imagery is haunting, portraying them as prey under constant threat. Suddenly, they face a gas attack, a terrifying tactic of modern warfare.
Middle Section: Gas Attack and Trauma
This middle section is rich in sensory detail, capturing the terror and helplessness of the moment. Owen’s trauma seeps into his words, as he describes soldiers hastily donning their gas masks. One fails to secure his in time, leading to a horrific scene described as “under a green sea, I saw him drowning.” This image, despite being a past memory, haunts Owen’s present, as he states: “In all my dreams before my helpless sight,” revealing the psychological scars left by war.
Final Stanza: Aftermath and Condemnation
The final stanza focuses on the aftermath. The dying soldier is carried away, his agonizing death portrayed in grotesque detail: “white eyes writhing in his face,” and “his hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin.” Owen doesn’t shy away from the grotesque—he forces the reader to see, hear, and even smell the horror. He concludes with a direct condemnation of war propaganda, challenging those who promote military glory: if they had witnessed such scenes themselves, they would never dare tell children “the old lie: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” (“It is sweet and proper to die for one’s country”).
Conclusion: A Powerful Anti-War Statement
In conclusion, Dulce et Decorum Est stands as a powerful critique of the glorification of war. Through harrowing imagery and firsthand experience, Owen exposes the brutal, dehumanizing reality faced by soldiers, leaving readers with a sobering reflection on the true cost of conflict.