Sam Woo Rough Draft

B3
3-7-14
Poetry is a way of person to express his/her emotions. Poetry always has a purpose and
there are many ways to engage the reader. Each poet uses different techniques to reach their goal.
Owen describes his experience of horrors in World War 1 in his poems Anthem For Doomed
Youth and Dulce et Decorum Est by using satirical references, vivid imagery and vocabulary,
and by using figurative language to show his disapproval for the fighting.
Satirical references are shown throughout his poem, Dulce et Decorum Est. One of the
main things he references to is the common Latin, Dulce et Decorum Est. The Latin phrase
means it is sweet and fitting to die for ones country (Miller). And by putting inserting this,
Owen is introducing a common phrase that is used by the young men who want to enter the war
.Then in the poem; he ironically states the horrors of the war immediately. This contrast shows
how war in reality is not the glorious thing that men see it as and that all it does is ruin lives.
Wilfred Owen also references to the advocates of pro war to show contempt for them. After he
describes the horrors that occur in the war, at the end, he addresses pro-war advocates in
particular in direct response to such patriotic and sentimental dribble, and particularly in
response to one prolific pro-war poet, Jessie Pope. In an earlier version of the poem, Owen
actually named this woman, indicating that she was the 'friend' who tells 'children' the 'old Lie
(Lutz). His vocabulary shows that he is mocking the pro war advocates especially Jessie Pope.
When he used the word friend he is now mockingly pointing out the fact that he has shown her
the evidence and the horrors she has never even imagined of in the reality of war. The references
to the common saying and the pro war advocates with vocabulary satirically, followed by the
evidence of the reality he has experienced, Owen shows his satire feelings on the war.
George Owen also uses vivid imagery and vocabulary effectively to reveal the horrors of
war to the public and by doing so, changing the public views of the war. One of main theme he
makes through imagery is the desperate situation of the war. He does this throughout his poem
Dulce et Decorum Est. Owen describes the chaotic situation by using strong verbs such as
fumbling, stumbling, floundring, and drowning(Moran) which are connected by the
sounds of their endings as well as their depictions of the men made graceless and spasmodic
(Moran). Also Owen incorporates metaphorical imagery as he watches the man being killed by
saying As under a green sea, I saw him drowning and by doing this he uses images to convey
the world of war (Lutz). Also he adds to the disturbance by using vivid vocabulary like white
eyes writhing, vile, and gargling to describe a soldier drowning in himin his own
bloodwhich compounds the initial irony of a man drowning on land (Moran). By
incorporating vivid imagery and vocabulary to his poem, he is effectively conveying his message
to his readers.
Owen finally shows his disapproval of the war by using figurative language and poetic
styles which reflect his milieu as an officer in the war. One figurative language technique he uses
is a metaphor. He compares the gassed soldier in Dulce et Decorum Est to a person who is
drowning in a green sea. By setting this up, he effectively makes an image of that soldier in the
readers mind. Also Owen uses personification in Anthem for Doomed Youth. When he states
Only the monstrous anger of the guns, he conveys a feeling which would portray the guns as
an evil thing. Owen incorporates his style of poetry which reflects his milieu as a soldier in the
war. Owen puts a strict pattern with no room for variation or elaboration, for example, in the standard
military command, an entirely automated utterance"(Kerr) and a tightening-up of style (Kerr) in
both of his poems and by doing so, he is helping the reader feel that they are in the military
environment. Owen uses a simile in Dulce et Decorum Est to portray a soldier as someone as
not just a human but some soldier has become other than humana revolting, almost
supernatural creature (Moran). Owens use of figurative language and his poetic style which
was developed by his experience makes his poems engaging and disturbing, which was what he
needed to change the publics view on the war.
Owen is trying to change the publics view especially young men looking for glory on the
war. One could say that he is not actually trying to discourage the people to join instead just
warning them. But in the poem Dulce et Decorum Est, he puts in violent imagery of a soldiers
death in the war which would only discourage them. He also mentions in Anthem for Doomed
Youth, that these soldiers will only cause grief to their families and that nothing can save them.
These statements are creating a fear which would prevent them from joining the war. Also one
may say that milieu is not always reflected by the poem itself. Although that may be true for the
poets, Owens style in his poems in which he puts a new accent, economical of feeling and not
concerned with music, the voice of that military pronoun (Kerr) reflects his experience as an
officer in the war.
Devices and techniques of poetry are used to effectively engage the reader and they
reflect the milieu of the poet. In the case of Owen, he uses satirical references, vivid imagery and
vocabulary, and by using figurative language to show his disapproval for the fighting in his
poems Dulce et Decorum Est and Anthem for Doomed Youth.