Question

Wilfred Owen was a soldier and was known as one of the greatest poems of World War I. Does his poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" support war? Why or why not?
Use the RACE method to answer this question and be sure you SUPPORT your answer.

Answer 1

Wilfred Owen's poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" does not support war. At the end of the poem, the speaker calls the statement "Dulce et decorum estPro patria mori" a lie. This line, when translated, means that it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country. When the speaker says that this is a lie, he is showing that he does not support war because he does not believe it is sweet to die for your country. Most importantly he especially doesn't support the chemical warfare component of World War I. The example of the soldier dying is one suffering from poisonous gas rather than a bullet. To die this way is not sweet or fitting, and shows his disapproval of the war.