Introduction
Arguably, it is said that history teaches us greater lessons than the present years ever will. If the events of World War I are anything to go by, then with every regard, this statement is ultimately true. It is during the war that massive loss of human life and casualties was ever recorded in human history. This ordeal was majorly attributed to the fact that most warring countries were caught off guard and also the fact that there was the use of heavy war machinery and poisonous gasses too.
Despite this all, the war also saw the existing human morals and ideals put in jeopardy. This is so as there was a lot of lies circulation of how it is an honor and a sweet thing to die for your country during the war. This was only meant to get more young people enrolling to help their countries fight the war. However, this claimed were disputed with poets such as Wilfred Owen, who were on the forefront fighting the war for their countries. The teachings this great poet documented in their works transverse many generations.
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In my paper, I am going to explain how the poem “Dulce et Decorum est” is as meaningful today as how it was in 1917 when Wilfred Owen composed it.
Analysis
The main theme of this poem is the effects of war and the different ways in which people perceive it. Just like during World War I times, the society today stills encourages its young folks to join the military in with the false promise that it is honorable to die in the battlefield serving one's country. The different poetic styles used by the poem will help us understand the important themes the poet was trying to pass across.
Harsh rebuke of war
One of the key evident themes in this poem is the poet trying to rebuke the ongoing war. At the time he was writing his poem, he too had personal experiences with the effects of war. This message can be seen clearly through the imagery style he uses to describe the soldiers. “Old beggars under sacks…coughing like hags” this is the mental picture the poet tries to bring his audience at. This picture is far much off what had been promised to the soldiers when they enrolled to help fight the war. The poet then presents the harsh war reality when he says,
“ Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind”
From this situation, many individuals would die unacknowledged of their heroic acts to their contrary to the belief that dying for one country is what patriots must do.
Deception
When articulating his issues regarding the war experience, deception is one of the themes Wilfred clearly passed through. In a nutshell, Owen's message is that even in today’s time there is always a deliberate attempt by those in positions of power, that is, the ministry of defense, to spread myths of nationalism and patriotism that secretes the reality that soldiers face in the battle field. This message speaks about the governments and propaganda and myths that help spread the old lie. He tells his friend, symbolic to the government;
“ If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori”
It is important to note that Wilfred was not against the idea of young people fighting for their country, since after being treated he went back to the battlefield where he met his death. The idea the poet rallied behind was that of full disclosure of what one is to expect once they decide to defend their country as opposed of being deceived.
Corruption and an eroded society’s value system
The poem just like other forms of art is guided by conventional poetic techniques something the poet, Wilfred seemed to understand clearly if his previous works are anything to go by. However, when writing this poem he intentionally chooses not to stick to them depicting a corrupt and malfunctioning society’s value system. This is much applicable in today’s life scenario in the sense that whenever there is a war or conflict in a country or state, lawlessness erupts and even the basic laws of life disregarded. Individuals turn against each other and kill each other.
Conclusion
From my findings above it is evident that the teachings from the poem “Dulce et Decorum Est”by Wilfred Owen have been able to transverse decades and remained relevant in our today society. The first-hand account from the poet makes it even easier for the audience to relate with. As a way of guarding our democracy, it is important that every government borrows the critical lessons from this poem and implement them to the latter. This will help them avoid if not the war itself the many consequences that would arise from the omission of certain things such as full disclosure.
Work cited:
Wilfred Owen. “Dulce et Decorum Est”. 1917. Print.
Tomlinson, Brian. "Using poetry with mixed ability language classes." ELT journal 40.1.33-41. 1986.
Royer, Michelle, and Kim Groninga. "“Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen." 2008.
