Compare the Presentation of War in the Poems 'Dulce Et Decorum Est' and 'Icarus Allsorts"
Compare the Presentation of War in the poems ‘Dulce et Decorum est’, by Wilfred Owen and ‘Icarus Allsorts’, by Roger McGough.
Dulce et Decorum est was written by Wilfred Owen and Icarus Allsorts was written by Roger McGough. Dulce was written during WW1. Wilfred Owen wrote this poem while he was in a military hospital. In the poem Owen reveals the chilling truth about what WW1 was really like. Icarus was written in the tension of the Cold War. In the poem Roger McGough turns a very serious (fake) event into a joke. Dulce was written in 1917 and published in 1920. It was written to show that Jessie Pope’s poem ‘Who’s for the Game’ was a whole pot of lies. Icarus Allsorts was written in 1964. It was written to get residents of planet Earth to understand how dangerous nuclear war is and how if it does happen we will all die. In this essay I will compare both poems and explain why some of the languages techniques help send a certain message out to readers. Also I will explain how war is presented in each poem.
There is one main similarity in both Dulce and Icarus; this is that they are both strongly against war of any sort. “The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori.” This quotation from Dulce is saying that the saying Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria is one big lie and that means it is NOT sweet and fitting to die for your country. “The general at the radar screen he should have got the sack but that wouldn’t bring Three thousand million, seven hundred, and sixty-eight people back, would it?” This quotation from Icarus Allsorts is saying that one general getting sacked would not bring nearly the whole human race back. Also the use of the specific number makes you feel shocked about how many people would die.
Another similarity is that both poems use similes to help reinforce their message about war. The message about war in Icarus is that if there is a nuclear war or a WW3 the whole or most of the human race would be wiped out. “The rich huddled outside of
Dulce et Decorum est was written by Wilfred Owen and Icarus Allsorts was written by Roger McGough. Dulce was written during WW1. Wilfred Owen wrote this poem while he was in a military hospital. In the poem Owen reveals the chilling truth about what WW1 was really like. Icarus was written in the tension of the Cold War. In the poem Roger McGough turns a very serious (fake) event into a joke. Dulce was written in 1917 and published in 1920. It was written to show that Jessie Pope’s poem ‘Who’s for the Game’ was a whole pot of lies. Icarus Allsorts was written in 1964. It was written to get residents of planet Earth to understand how dangerous nuclear war is and how if it does happen we will all die. In this essay I will compare both poems and explain why some of the languages techniques help send a certain message out to readers. Also I will explain how war is presented in each poem.
There is one main similarity in both Dulce and Icarus; this is that they are both strongly against war of any sort. “The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori.” This quotation from Dulce is saying that the saying Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria is one big lie and that means it is NOT sweet and fitting to die for your country. “The general at the radar screen he should have got the sack but that wouldn’t bring Three thousand million, seven hundred, and sixty-eight people back, would it?” This quotation from Icarus Allsorts is saying that one general getting sacked would not bring nearly the whole human race back. Also the use of the specific number makes you feel shocked about how many people would die.
Another similarity is that both poems use similes to help reinforce their message about war. The message about war in Icarus is that if there is a nuclear war or a WW3 the whole or most of the human race would be wiped out. “The rich huddled outside of