The Soldier And Dulce Et Decorum Est Essay Example

emphasize his patriotism, he repeats the word "England" in various forms six times throughout the brief poem.

This poem exudes extreme patriotism, wherein Brooke is willing to lay down his life for his country. Instead of dwelling on the fact that young soldiers are sent to war, he emphasizes the beauty of England and the reasons why it should be protected. He portrays England as an idyllic nation, with picturesque rural landscapes and enticing attractions such as flowers and pathways. The poem envisions England as a heavenly paradise, an ideal place that is worth fighting for.

According to Brooke, the deaths and tragedies of World War 1 are justified by the greatness of England. He holds England in higher esteem than any other country, evident in his use of jingoistic language throughout the poem with phrases like "Forever England." Brooke regards England not only as a country, but also as his mother. He describes himself as "A dust whom England bore," acknowledging that his birth and development into a man are owed to England's existence.

He attributes his survival to England and wishes to repay the debt of gratitude. Despite acknowledging that soldiers like himself are expendable, he personifies England as a mother figure. Brooke appeals to our sense of loyalty to our country as a protective instinct towards our motherland.

Brooke believes that his connection to England is akin to the bond people share with their mothers. He also contends that a soldier's death is not a squandered existence as "there's some corner of a foreign field that is for ever England," and the fallen soldier's remains will provide nourishment for the foreign land where they rest.

For Owen, this is a triumph in its own right.

According to him, the death of the soldier signifies triumph over evil and a win for the righteous England. He believes that all wickedness is eliminated, and in the hereafter, the soldier will still serve his country by being "a pulse in the eternal mind." He opines that death does not mark an end to life.

Owen counters Brooke's viewpoint regarding dying for one's country and instead presents war as undignified, grim, and horrific. The last stanza highlights his belief by prefixing the title with "The old Lie". By using "Dulce et Decorum est" as both the poem's title and concluding phrase, Owen challenges our perspective on the phrase and encourages us to see it as a falsehood.

Despite the title of the poem, Owen is vehemently anti-war. The phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" is ironically juxtaposed with "The old Lie," which rhymes, giving emphasis to the deception of the latter. Owen accentuated the word "Lie" with a capital L, conveying its historical perpetuity and enormity. "The Soldier" serves as a stark contrast to "Dulce et Decorum est." While the fallen soldier in "The Soldier" is depicted as divine and celestial, "a richer dust concealed," the soldiers in Owen's notable poem are portrayed as destitute and unattractive "beggars" and "hags" who are "knock-kneed."

The soldiers are devalued and disgraced, even though they sacrificed their lives for their country. They treated a soldier's body disrespectfully by tossing him into a wagon, as if he was worthless. Brooke acknowledges the possibility of death in warfare, stating 'If I should die, think only this of me.' This could be

interpreted as a call to the British citizens to honor the soldiers by regarding their deaths as noble, worthwhile, dignified, triumphant, and befitting.

According to him, "there's some corner of a foreign field that is for ever England," so he doesn't see it as a waste of life. He also believes that we must be willing to sacrifice our young people in battle for their country since it gave them life. Brooke desires the general public to have only one perception of him: he doesn't want them to consider the hostile aspects of war, such as shattered families, ruined lives, and lost loved ones. This opening phrase could also be interpreted as a direct address to his own family.

In his communication to his family, he urges them to see his demise as appropriate and fitting rather than a cause for mourning. With the title "The Soldier" being too general, the message could pertain to anyone's family rather than his own. Owen portrays his trench warfare and chemical encounter as a grim reality of war, where the actual experiences are far from its splendor before setting off to the battleground. Alongside the physical pain, loneliness, and the harrowing event of watching comrades perish, there is also the aftermath of diseases to be reckoned with, that is, if one makes it out alive.

According to Owen, using his poetry to depict the reality of war is necessary. He believes that the media only shows the positive aspects and propagates misleading information to entice young people to join the war. The only way to counter this, in Owen's opinion, is by drawing attention to the horrors and brutality

experienced during war. He advocates against promoting the idea that going to war is an honorable and glorious act, and emphasizes not romanticizing death for one's country.

The speaker cautions against teaching children the "old Lie" that it is sweet and honorable to die for one's country, as they will believe it and may be inclined to join wars in the future, resulting in unnecessary deaths. While Brooke's poem "The Soldier" mentions a peaceful heart and an English heaven, it fails to acknowledge the grim realities of war.

In his poetry, Brooke portrays death in a sanitized and idealized way that conceals the pain of dying in war, contrasting with the brutal reality depicted in "Dulce et Decorum est." He presents death as a pleasant continuation into the afterlife, with an ongoing impact on England, rather than as a finality. Brooke avoids describing the war itself, instead focusing on the beauty of rural England and arguing for its preservation. By doing so, he seeks to avoid discouraging the British public from sending their young men to fight in the war.

Brooke's portrayal of English society highlights its convivial nature where everyone is content and this peaceful existence should not be disrupted. "Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home", he presents England as pleasant and amiable, in contrast to the dirty and chaotic setting depicted in "Dulce et decorum est". This poem accentuates the physical ravages of trench warfare, leaving soldiers with a harrowing transformation into "old beggars", robbed of their vitality and youth.

The depiction of war in "Dulce et decorum est" presents a contrast to that in "The Soldier". The latter romanticizes it, showing

soldiers as strong and fit, whereas the former portrays them as weak and incapacitated, "like old beggars under sacks...e cursed through sludge".

In his comparison of soldiers to old beggars and hags, Owen employs a simile as he describes them: "Bent double, like old beggars...

"Coughing like hags" is how soldiers are now portrayed. War has stripped them of their dignity and they are no longer viewed as the materialistic image of a soldier in a smart uniform heading off to war. Instead, soldiers are weakened and emasculated, with the connotation of "hags" being old and vulnerable women.