In ‘Dolce et decorum est’ the soldiers were leaving the trenches after a long and exhausting span of duty. In the first verse Owen compares the soldiers to ‘old beggars’ and ‘hags’. This suggests that they have lost their youthfulness. These men are compared to beggars who are at the bottom of society. Owen describes what a bad state they are in. he uses the word ‘Blood-shod’. This word paints a vivid image of the men’s feet. I think that this is effective because it uses hard syllables so you have to slow down your reading. Owen also puts a full stop after it; this emphasis’s the word. The word ‘Blood-shod’ has images of red, black and scabby feet. He says that the ‘men marched asleep…all went lame’ this is suggesting that they are stumbling and unsure.

The second verse is a contrast to the first. The men are frantic and there is an ‘ecstasy of fumbling’. The word ecstasy has a meaning of happiness

Some topics in this essay:
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