Poetry Essay

Grade 11 – “Dulce et Decorum Est”   By Wilfred Owen   /53

Using the website provided to you on the bottom of this sheet answer the following questions IN YOUR OWN WORDS.   Pay close attention to the marks allotted for each questions – four marks means four points.   Complete the tasks in order so that you can make the most sense of the poem.

1. Who is Wilfred Owen?   /4
2. What does Dulce et Decorum Est mean? /2
3. Complete the title prediction portion of your analysis.
4. Read the poem twice and complete the paraphrase version of your analysis on your second reading.   Use extra paper if necessary.   /5
5. What is particularly shocking about Owen’s depiction of war? /2
6. Owen’s poetry and the events during WW1, resulted in the disillusionment with what two ‘ages’ followed WW1?   /2
7. List three ‘ideals’ about war and patriotism put forth by the ‘ages’ listed in question six. /3
8. Complete the poetic devices chart.   Be sure to explain the effect of the poetic device on the poem and how it impacts you as a reader.   /20
9. In your opinion, which images portrayed in the poem are most vivid?   /3   (Remember vivid imagery should appeal to the five senses)
10. Using a google search try and find some WWI recruitment posters.   Explain/describe how the images of the soldiers in this poem different from the images that appear in recruiting posters?   /4
11. Complete the Form, Mood, Tone and Shift portion of your analysis. /3
12.   Why do you think that Owen used the pronoun ‘you’ in the final stanza of the poem? /1
13. Complete the interpretation and theme portion of your analysis.   /5

Websites

http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~michelle_jackson/Dulce.html

http://www.helium.com/items/540899-literary-analysis-dulce-et-decorum-est-by-wilfred-owen

http://www.articlemyriad.com/dolce_decorum_owen.htm

http://www.1914-18.co.uk/owen/dulce.htm