Dulce Et Decorum Est Essay -- English Literature

Dulce Et Decorum Est Owen's attitude to war is justified by the title and the language used in the poem. He is anti-war. He uses the Latin title ironically to show his aim, that the translation of: "Dulce Et Decorum Est" Is a false saying. It is not good and proper or sweet and fitting to die for their country, it is a lie as he points out in the final 3 lines: "To children ardent for some desperate glory, the old Lie: Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria mori" He tries to teach those that in turn teach their young to fight, that dying for their country, their Queen isn't right, he shows how the eager children: "Desperate for some ardent glory" Are actually excited and fuelled by the dreams put into their minds, of fame, heroism and power, these children absorb these stories, the propaganda spoon fed to them as fuel. It fuels the idealist mind of a child and this would lead them to further believe and trust in those stories and never reject the lie growing within them till they enlist for the army and discover the truth hidden from them for so long, that war is hopeless, war is horrid, war is mankind's creation. They will grow to learn the frightening effects and results of a war and it is this, which Owen hopes to prevent. Latin in this poem is extremely significant; the phrase is the idea behind Owens poem, the lesson he sets out to teach. Latin is a dead language but was spoken by, many countries during the times of the Roman Empire. Owen for the sake of this poem revives it. In my view he is using the Latin as a metaphor for war, Latin is dead! Owen suggests the propaganda of the past presents inexplicably false stories with no real truth behind them. Owen is angry at those who would ... ...ighly patriotic or is tainted by there countries propaganda campaigns, it is the lie, the lie that has cost many jives and decimated many landscapes, its old, it has been retold and taught for many generations, by grandparents, uncles & aunties and the parents themselves who were taught it also, its shouldn't go any further, it has cost too many lives already, Owen is crying out stop the teachings, stop the slaughter of innocent young men corrupted by their countries propaganda, stop it and keep it ended because war doesn't solve anything, families are ended in wars, innocent people and beautiful landscapes are destroyed in senseless wars with only one point, Power for the country who wins but what is greater? The cost of victory, or the survival of so many soldiers that could be future fathers, or future scientists, writers and inventors, think about it.