Introduction: The First World War was a time of extreme patriotism, violence and agony. Many were affected by the nature of the war and were encouraged to write stories and literature capturing the true reality of war, wanting to share with those at home the horror experienced by innocent soldiers initially blinded by honor and patriotism However, all literature composed during. World War I did not capture the harsh reality of war Background: Rupert Brooke's The Soldier and Wilfred Owen's Dulce et Decorum Est are two examples of war poetry written during World War I. about conflict, war and death, sharing the same themes of war poetry from two very different perspectives and treating the subject of war in contrasting ways. The poets base their poems on their own personal experiences during the war, and. Since the two poets had very different implications, so do their poems. Dulce et Decorum Est explores the unpleasant reality of war, while The Soldier glorifies the idea of ​​dying for one's country. Thesis Statement: To make a comparison of the poems, Dulce et Decorum Est and The Soldier are analyzed in this essay. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Topic Sentence: Both Owen and Brooke were involved in World War I, however, their involvement in the war greatly affected their options regarding war. Owen wrote Dulce while at Craiglockhart War Hospital, Edinburgh; towards the end of the First World War and had experienced the true horrors of war. He wanted to write a poem that would describe the war truthfully, because he believed it was necessary for the country's civilians to understand the war as it really was. Evidence and Citation: The title of the poem itself, Dulce et Decorum Est, translates to "it is honorable to die for one's country." Owen reveals through his writings how this was the deceptive “old lie” that had been told for centuries to those encouraged to enlist. Commentary: Dulce explores the cold truth about the war and how it continues to haunt him, causing him to suffer eternally. On the contrary, Brooke's writings show how noble it is to die for one's country. Brooke's war history was very short, he died before even going into combat. The poem was written at the start of World War I and was used to try to convince others to enlist. Brooke was unable to see the true effects of the war and is a great representation of the majority at the start of the war. Evidence and Quote: As Brooke wrote in The Soldier at the start of World War I, this fits with the "old lie" that Owen speaks of in Dulce. Topic Sentence: When comparing the structure of the two poems, they are similar in the fact that both were written in iambic pentameter. Additionally, the two share a structured rhyme scheme. Evidence and Quote: Throughout the first stanza of Dulce, Owen uses similes to describe the tone of the dirty and filthy standards the soldiers faced. Owen takes you into graphic war scenes with “sleeping men.” Many had lost their boots but were limping. The soldiers' exhaustion is depicted through vivid imagery and terms such as "lame," "drunk with fatigue," and "we cursed through the mud." In the second stanza, Owen then continues by changing the mood into a rhythmchaotic and fast. He uses language such as “groping” to capture the panic of the soldiers. The third stanza describes an unfortunate soldier who is consumed by the gas and "flounders like a man in fire or lime", "drowning" in his own blood-filled lungs. In the final stanza, Owen explains the message of the poem through bloody metaphors of truth; “his face hung, like that of a devil sick with sin” and “obscene as cancer, bitter as rumor”. Owen uses "vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues" to describe how innocent boys meet horrible deaths because of "the old lie: dulce et decorum set pro patria mori." Through the use of fire imagery and the use of the word “devil,” Owen compares the deaths of the soldiers to hell. Instead, Brooke uses nature and celestial imagery to evoke war and death for her country. In the first stanza of The Soldier, Brooke uses language such as "blessed", bringing light to the poem and using images of nature such as "rivers" and "sun". In the last four lines of The Soldier, Brooke personifies England, saying “its sights and sounds; dreams as happy as his day,” comparing the war to a dream. This contrasts with Dulce, when Owen explores his recurring nightmares of terror and war. Brooke also says that her "heart is at peace, under an English paradise", again contradicting Owen's comparison of death in war and hell. Commentary: While Dulce conveys the ugly truth of war and shares negative ideas about dying for one's country, The Soldier conveys quite the opposite, emphasizing how dying for one's country is a noble end and that England is the noblest country to die for. Through their poems, Brooke and Owen create opposing moods to represent their ideas. Topic Sentence: Brooke and Owen use various literary devices in their poetry to share their feelings and thoughts related to the war. Evidence and Citation: The Soldier is written in the form of a sonnet and is a romantic love letter to England. The repetition of the words "England" and "English" throughout the poem expresses Brooke's love for the country and in the second stanza he explains how this love has "driven away all evil" and is now "a pulse in the 'eternal spirit'. . Commentary: Brooke's feelings and thoughts towards England are conveyed through his constant glorification of death in war and his patriotic messages. In contrast, Owen uses various literary techniques to suggest the harsh and bitter reality of war. Evidence and Quote: "On our knees, coughing like witches, we cursed through the mud" uses onomatopoeia to imply how heavy and difficult the ground is to pass through. Owen also uses personification in "Until We Turn Our Backs on the Haunting Rockets" to suggest how death haunts men and they live their lives in peril; his presence constantly follows them wherever they go, which leaves them feeling restless. Owen highlights how youth and innocence are destroyed by war, which is seen in the contrast with the comparison of "vile and incurable sores on innocent tongues." Through their literature, Brooke and Owen both convey their feelings and thoughts towards the war in contrasting ways. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Concluding Paragraph: Through the contrasting poems The Soldier and Dulce et Decorum Est, Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen share their opposing feelings and thoughts about war and.