Which two common themes of war literature are reflected in this excerpt? 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. (Wilfred Owen, "Dulce Et Decorum Est") -bitterness at the massive loss of life caused by war -anger at the ignorance of civilians and leaders at home -the innocence and ignorance of enlisted soldiers -anger at the government for lying to enlisted youth -the pain of those left at home waiting for the soldiers
bitterness at the massive loss of life caused by war
anger at the ignorance of civilians and leaders at home
Explanation:
The two common themes of war literature portrayed in this excerpt shows the bitterness at the massive loss of life caused by the war and the ignorance of leaders and civilians back at home.
The bitterness towards the massive loss of life is shown as the writer describes the situation of the average soldier in the battle front whose eyes writhe in pain, whose face is like the devil's and the massive loss of blood from his lungs.
The anger at the ignorance of people at home is shown by the writer admonishing those that speak gloriously about war and lie to children telling them that it is honorable to die for their country, without knowing the true horrors that they would face.
The words "Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori" means It is sweet and honorable to die for your country.
