Introduction: The First World War was a time of extreme patriotism, violence and agony. Many were affected by the nature of war and were encouraged to write stories and literature that captured 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, not all of the literature composed during the First World War captured the harsh reality of war. Background: The Soldier by Rupert Brooke and Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen are two examples of war poetry written during the First World War. Both were written about conflict, war and death, yet share the same themes as the poetry of war from two very different perspectives and approach the theme of war in contrasting ways The poets base their poems on their own personal experiences during the war, and considering that both poets had very different involvements, so do their poems. Dulce et Decorum Est explores the unpleasant reality of war, while The Soldier glorifies the idea of ​​dying for your country. Thesis Statement: To make a comparison between 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 Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Topic Sentence: Both Owen and Brooke were involved in World War I, however, their involvement in the war heavily influenced their options on the war. Owen wrote Dulce while at Craiglockhart War Hospital, Edinburgh; towards the end of World War I and had experienced the true horrors of war. He wanted to write a poem that described the war truthfully, as he thought it was necessary for civilians at home to understand the war for what it really was. Evidence and Quotations: The very title of the poem, Dulce et Decorum Est, means that it is honorable to die for one's country. Owen reveals through his writings how this was the misleading 'old lie' that was told for centuries to those who were encouraged to enlist. Commentary: Dulce explores the cold truth about war and how it continues to haunt him, hurting him forever. In contrast, Brooke's writings show how noble it is to die for your country. Brooke's history in the war was very short, he died before he even went into battle. The poem was written in the early stages 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 beginning of the war. Evidence and quotes: Since Brooke wrote The Soldier at the beginning of World War I, it fits the "old lie" that Owen talks about in Dulce. Thematic Sentence: When comparing the structure of both poems, they are similar in the fact that both were written in iambic pentameter. Additionally, they both share a structured rhyme scheme. Evidence and Quotations: Throughout Dulce's first stanza, Owen uses similes to portray the tone of the dirty and filthy standards that the soldiers faced. Owen draws you into the graphic scenes of the war with "men marching asleep". Many had lost their boots but were limping." The exhaustion of the soldiers is depicted with vivid imagery and language such as “lame,” “drunk with fatigue,” and “cursed in the mud.” In the second verse, Owen then changes the atmosphere to chaotic and frenetic. Use language like “fumble” to capture the soldiers' panic. The third stanza describes an unfortunate soldier who is consumed by the gas and "struggles like a man in fire or lime" and "drowns" in hislungs full of blood. In the final stanza, Owen explains the poem's message through gory metaphors of truth; 'his face hanging, like that of a sin-sick devil' and 'obscene as cancer, bitter as cud'. Owen uses "vile and incurable sores on innocent tongues" to describe how innocent boys are experiencing 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 soldiers' deaths to hell. Instead, Brooke uses nature and celestial imagery to relate to war and death for one's country. In the first stanza of The Soldier, Brooke uses language like “blessed,” bringing light into the poem and using nature imagery like “rivers” and “sun.” In the last four lines of The Soldier, Brooke personifies England, saying 'her sights and sounds; she dreams as happy as her day', comparing the war to a dream. This contrasts with Dulce, when Owen explores her recurring nightmares of terror and war. Brooke also says that her "heart is at peace, under an English paradise", once again contradicting Owen's comparison of death in war and in hell. Comment: While Dulce conveys the vile truth of war and shares negative ideas about dying for one's country, The Soldier conveys the exact opposite, emphasizing how dying for one's country is a noble end and England is the noblest country to die for. Through their poems , Brooke and Owen create opposite moods to represent their ideas. Theme sentence: Both Brooke and Owen use various literary devices in their poem to share their feelings and thoughts related to war. Evidence and quotes: The Soldier is written as 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 she explains how this love has "eliminated all evil" and is now "a pulse in the eternal mind". . Commentary: Brooke's feelings and thoughts towards England are conveyed through her constant glorification of death in war and her patriotic messages. In contrast, Owen uses various literary devices to suggest the harsh and bitter reality of war. Evidence and Quotations: “With bent knees, coughing like witches, we cursed into the mud” uses onomatopoeia to imply how heavy and difficult the terrain is to traverse. Owen also uses personification in "until the haunting flashes we turned our backs on" to suggest how death is haunting men and how they live their lives in danger; his presence constantly follows them wherever they go, which in turn leaves them restless. Owen highlights how youth and innocence are destroyed by war, this is seen in the contrast of the simile "of vile and incurable sores on innocent tongues". Through their literature, both Brooke and Owen convey their feelings and thoughts towards the war in contrasting ways. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper 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 opposing feelings and thoughts about war and dying for one's country. Both The Soldier and Dulce et Decorum Est highlight firsthand accounts of Brooke and Owen's experiences, but they differ drastically in many other ways. Both poems are different in form and rhyme scheme. Despite their two different perspectives on the war, they have one thing in common. Both poems describe the".