Exploring Wilfred Owen's Poem Dulce et Decorum Est
Dive into the powerful anti-war poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen, examining the harsh realities of war through vivid imagery and emotive language. Explore the poet's disdain for the glorification of war and the impact it has on soldiers. Through analysis and role-playing, uncover Owen's perspective on the true horrors of warfare and the futility of its glamorization.
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Starter: The following statements are about war. Which statements do you agree with? Write down in your draft book all the phrases you agree with. Be prepared to explain your choices. War is glorious and gives people immortality Old men declare war, but it s the young men and women of the country who have to go and fight the battles. War is Hell. Being at war means you are fighting for what you believe in. Anyone patriotic should go to war. In modern times, we should be able to solve problems by talking them through It is an honourable thing to go to war. If men and women go to war, it means that they are defending themselves and their country. Modern warfare is brutal and unnecessary. Fighting shows you are strong. There are other ways to solve international arguments Dulce et Decorum est Objectives: To analyse our own feelings about war and respond eloquently To work collaboratively to demonstrate understanding of the poem s meaning by role playing the poem Challenge: To evaluate the mood of the poem and engage with Owen s attitude to war.
Task 1 Making predictions The title of the poem comes from the Latin saying: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - it is sweet and right to die for your country. In other words, it is a wonderful and great honour to fight and die for your country 1) What do you think the poem is about? 2) What do you think the poet, Wilfred Owen s, feelings are towards War? Answer the questions in your best book. Make sure you explain your answers fully.
Task 2: Look at this image. Has your opinion of the poet s attitude changed?
Reading the poem dramatizing the poem As you read, and listen to the poem pay close attention to meaning of the poem. http://www.youtub e.com/watch?v=M5 zT01lm3lw Onomatopoeia Alliteration Imagery Emotive language Important use of punctuation Language task: You have ten minutes in pairs to find and annotate as many of the following techniques as you can: Similes Metaphor Having read the poem, has your opinion of what the poet s attitude to war is, changed?
Dulche Decorum Est (It is sweet and just to die for your country). Simile old - they re young, poverty, lack of control Ironic Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned out backs, And towards our distant rest began to trudge. 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 tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind . Collective personal pronoun reader is implicated in story Alliteration/Omo no more senses Simile Emotive - death Just the soldiers? Personification pointlessness of war Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!--An ecstasy of fumbling Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time, But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime.-- Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. Emotive showing the panic of the soldiers Exclamation marks, change of pace - panic Emotive In all my dreams before my helpless sight He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. Simile not natural to be underwater If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin, 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. Even the devil is sick of war Emotive language Onomatopoeia Emotive language Proper noun
Speaking and listening task You will then need to have one or two people reading and at least two people acting out the poem. If you take it seriously this is very powerful and will really add to your understanding of Owen s perspective In small groups, look carefully through the poem. You will need to use the glossary and dictionaries to help you define difficult words. Your task is read and perform the poem using movement to demonstrate your understanding of the meaning.
Dulce et Decorum est is a poem written by poet Wilfred Owen in 1917, during World War I, and published posthumously in 1920. Owen's poem is known for its horrific imagery and condemnation of war. It was drafted in the first half of October 1917 and later revised, between January and March 1918. The earliest surviving manuscript is dated 8 October 1917 and addressed to his mother, Susan Owen, with the message "Here is a gas poem done yesterday, (which is not private, but not final)". Wilfred Owen died 4thNovember 1918 6 days before the war ended. He was 25.
Written Reflection What do we learn about Wilfred Owen s attitude to war in Dulce et Decorum Est ? You should explain how he gets his meaning across through the use of language and structure. Use PEMSU paragraphs to answer the question. Point = make a point that answers the question Evidence = use a quote to support your point Means = explain what the quote means in your own words Suggests = what does it suggest? Used = Why do you think it has been used?
How will I know that my PEMSU paragraphs are successful? Skilled By making a clear point and showing awareness of Owen s attitudes to war Using appropriate quotations effectively Making a comment on the effect on the reader Beginning to comment on the writer s choice of words or language devices Excellent Making original comments about Owen s attitude to war Beginning to embed quotations Commenting on specific features of language used by the writer Using key terminology accurately (like onomatopoeia, alliteration, metaphor) Considering how different readers might respond differently to the poem
