Dulce Et Decorum Est Figurative Language

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A prevailing attitude of American families during World War II was that it was a beautiful, romantic sacrifice to fight for one’s country. However, Wilfred Owen’s poem “Dulce et Decorum Est” is a shocking reminder that war is not what it’s thought to be. Owen reveals his attitude and feelings about the harsh reality of war by using powerful diction, vivid imagery, and several unforgiving examples of figurative language. Owen’s opinion of war is very evident by the diction he chooses to include in this poem. He describes how a soldier is “plunging” at him, while also “guttering, choking, and drowning” because mustard gas is preventing him to receive oxygen. This disapproving diction adds a defiant tone to the poem, and proves to the audience that in real life, war is ugly, ruthless, and gruesome. Owen also uses appalling and wicked word choice, such as “drunk with fatigue” and “helpless sight,” to further explain that there is nothing beautiful about dying a terrible death, while trying to honor your family and community by fighting for your country.…show more content…
He has an angry tone while describing how a poor soldier is choking and “gargling” on his own blood, which is being vomited up from his “froth- corrupted lungs.” Owen’s use of imagery while describing war makes it possible for the intended audience to get a taste of what war is really like; to see that war is the exact opposite of what they’ve been told. Owen lets them know that if the soldiers die, it will be a long, suffering death, and if they live, they will be haunted by these images for
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