Dulce et Decorum Est Questions and Answers
Dulce et Decorum Est
What does the phrase "like a devil's sick of sin" mean in Dulce et Decorum Est?
Owen describes the "hanging" face of one soldier as "like a devil's sick of sin." He is implying that the soldier looks so horrified and mangled by what he has suffered that he appears devilish, as...
Dulce et Decorum Est
What does the phrase "like a man in fire or lime" mean in Dulce et Decorum Est?
In the poem "Dulce et Decorum Est," Owen describes a soldier as "like a man in fire or lime" to describe how the soldier's lungs were burning after inhaling poisonous gas.
Dulce et Decorum Est
The meaning and use of "blood-shod" in "Dulce et Decorum Est."
In "Dulce et Decorum Est," the term "blood-shod" describes soldiers whose feet are so injured and bloody that it appears as if they are shod in blood. This vivid imagery emphasizes the horrific...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Literary Devices in "Dulce et Decorum Est"
Wilfred Owen's poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" uses vivid metaphors and literary devices to convey the grim realities of war. Metaphors such as soldiers "drowning" in gas emphasize the suffocating horror...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Analysis and Comparisons in "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen
Wilfred Owen's poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" employs irony to critique the notion that dying for one's country is noble. The title, derived from a Latin phrase meaning "it is sweet and proper to die...
Dulce et Decorum Est
The significance and contribution of the phrase "haunting flares" in "Dulce et Decorum Est."
The phrase "haunting flares" in "Dulce et Decorum Est" contributes to the poem's vivid imagery and conveys the eerie, persistent presence of war. It highlights the soldiers' constant exposure to...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Is "obscene as cancer" a metaphor?
"Obscene as cancer" is a form of metaphor called simile that compares two things using the words "like" or "as." Breathing in poison gas on the battlefield is here likened to a slow, painful cancer...
Dulce et Decorum Est
What does the phrase "guttering, choking, drowning" mean in "Dulce et Decorum Est"?
These three present participles, verbs that also act like adjectives, describe the actions of the soldier who has inhaled poison gas because he did not get his gas mask on in time. When he inhales...
Dulce et Decorum Est
How are assonances used in "Dulce Et Decorum Est"?
Assonance in "Dulce Et Decorum Est" is used to create rhythm and flow without rhyme. Wilfred Owen employs assonance by repeating vowel sounds, such as the short "e" in "bent" and "beggars" and the...
Dulce et Decorum Est
The formal structure and notable structural techniques of "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen
"Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen uses a formal structure of four irregular stanzas. Notable structural techniques include vivid imagery and similes to depict the horrors of war, enjambment to...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Metaphors and similes describing the gassed soldier in "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen
In "Dulce et Decorum Est," Wilfred Owen uses vivid metaphors and similes to describe the gassed soldier. He is depicted as "flound'ring like a man in fire or lime," comparing his agony to burning....
Dulce et Decorum Est
Oxymorons in "Dulce et Decorum Est."
The poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen uses oxymorons to highlight the harsh realities of war. Examples include "bitter joy" and "ecstasy of fumbling," which contrast the glorified...
Dulce et Decorum Est
What does "white eyes writhing" mean in "Dulce et Decorum Est"?
The phrase "white eyes writhing" is a visual image used to describe the appearance of the young soldier who has inhaled poison gas. It expresses the unnatural movement of his eyes as they seem to...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Is "drunk with fatigue" in "Dulce et Decorum Est" a metaphor?
"Drunk with fatigue" is a metaphor. By using it, Owen is trying to convey that the effect of the men's exhaustion has caused them to enter a state akin to drunkenness.
Dulce et Decorum Est
In the poem "Dulce et Decorum Est", what does the phrase "dim through the misty panes and thick green light" refer to?
In "Dulce et Decorum Est," the phrase "dim through the misty panes and thick green light" refers to the glass lenses in the soldiers' gas masks, which provided imperfect vision, and the chlorine gas...
Dulce et Decorum Est
"Dulce et Decorum Est" Audience and Speaker Analysis
"Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen targets poets like Jessie Pope, who promoted war as noble. Owen, a soldier who experienced World War I's horrors, uses a speaker embittered by witnessing a...
Dulce et Decorum Est
In "Dulce et Decorum Est," what connotations does "cursed through sludge" have compared to "marched" or "walked"?
The phrase "cursed through sludge" in "Dulce et Decorum Est" conveys a deeper emotional and physical struggle compared to "marched" or "walked." It suggests soldiers are not just moving, but are...
Dulce et Decorum Est
What are the allusions in "Dulce et Decorum Est" and their function?
The allusions in "Dulce et Decorum Est" are to Horace's poem "Ode: III.2," specifically the phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori," meaning "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country."...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Is "Dulce et Decorum Est" written in iambic pentameter?
"Dulce et Decorum Est" is in iambic pentameter. This means that the iamb is the dominant metrical foot in the poem, and it consists of two syllables, one unstressed followed by one stressed. This...
Dulce et Decorum Est
In "Dulce et Decorum Est," what are the soldiers compared to and why?
In "Dulce et Decorum Est," soldiers are compared to "old beggars under sacks," reflecting their physical burden and homelessness, and to "coughing hags," highlighting their illness from trench...
Dulce et Decorum Est
What is the meter of the poem "Dulce et Decorum est"?
The tempo in the poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" changes from stanza to stanza and within stanzas. It starts out moving very slowly to reflect the weariness of the soldiers. It speeds up rapidly to...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Types of conflict in "Dulce et Decorum Est" and their effectiveness
"Dulce et Decorum Est" features both external and internal conflicts. The external conflict arises from the brutal realities of war, vividly depicted through graphic imagery. The internal conflict is...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Why is the word "GAS" capitalized in "Dulce et Decorum Est"?
The poet capitalizes the word “GAS” when he repeats it to reflect the soldiers' panicked realization that they are being attacked by gas bombs. The capitalization reflects an increase in tone and...
Dulce et Decorum Est
What is the relevance of "Dulce et Decorum Est" to modern society?
"Dulce et Decorum Est" is still relevant to society because it shows the horror of war and how, in war, boys are forced to kill other human beings even when they don't want to, which is something we...
Dulce et Decorum Est
In "Dulce et Decorum Est," what is the meaning of "hag" in line 2?
In "Dulce et Decorum Est," the term "hag" in line 2 describes the soldiers as decrepit and unattractive, akin to old women, undermining the expected image of brave, noble soldiers. This depiction...
Dulce et Decorum Est
What causes a soldier to drown in the second stanza of "Dulce et Decorum Est"?
The soldier in the second stanza does not literally drown, but the speaker says that he seems to be drowning. He does not get his gas mask on quickly enough and inhales some kind of poison gas which...
Dulce et Decorum Est
In "Dulce et Decorum Est", how does the pace change in the second section?
The end of the first stanza depicts soldiers as exhausted and on autopilot, whereas the beginning of the second stanza shows a sudden change in pace as they realise that their life is in danger.
Dulce et Decorum Est
The setting and location of events in "Dulce et Decorum Est."
The setting of "Dulce et Decorum Est" is the battlefields of World War I. The poem vividly describes soldiers trudging through mud, exhausted and battle-worn, and then being attacked by gas. The...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Why is the title repeated in the last line of "Dulce et Decorum Est"?
The title "Dulce et Decorum Est" is repeated in the last line to highlight the stark contrast between the romanticized notion of war and its grim reality. Wilfred Owen uses this repetition to...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Who is the speaker in "Dulce et Decorum Est," and is this voice real or imagined?
The speaker in "Dulce et Decorum Est" is likely Wilfred Owen himself, reflecting his personal experiences in World War I, particularly trench warfare and gas attacks. The poem's first-person...
Dulce et Decorum Est
How did Wilfred Owen's "Dulce Et Decorum Est" influence the Modernist movement?
Wilfred Owen's "Dulce Et Decorum Est" influenced the Modernist movement by exposing the harsh realities of World War I, contrasting romanticized notions of war with brutal truth. The poem's vivid...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Where is the dying soldier placed after the attack in "Dulce et Decorum Est"?
After the gas attack, the dying soldier is placed in a wagon, likely a medical one, to be taken from the front lines, highlighting the inglorious nature of his death. Owen's depiction emphasizes the...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Owen's Meaning of Poetry in "Dulce et Decorum Est"
In "Dulce et Decorum Est," Owen's poetry conveys the brutal reality of war, challenging the glorified perception of dying for one's country. Through vivid and gruesome imagery, he exposes the horror...
Dulce et Decorum Est
Rhyme scheme of the second stanza in "Dulce et Decorum Est"
The rhyme scheme of the second stanza in "Dulce et Decorum Est" is ABABCDCD. This pattern contributes to the poem's rhythmic structure, emphasizing the grim and chaotic experiences of soldiers in...