Dulce et Decorum est: Vocabulary Quiz

Questions and Answers

What does the phrase 'bent double, like old beggars under sacks' represent?

A metaphor for strength

An expression of patriotism

A simile comparing soldiers to beggars (correct)

A description of youth

What is being compared in the phrase 'coughing like hags'?

Soldiers to hags

What does 'distant rest' likely refer to in the context?

Ironic term for death

How are 'haunting flares' described?

As ghostly and unsettling Signup and view all the answers

What image does 'men marched asleep' create?

Zombies or the dead Signup and view all the answers

What state does 'drunk with fatigue' refer to?

Exhaustion and lack of alertness Signup and view all the answers

What does 'blood-shod' imply?

Feet covered in blood Signup and view all the answers

What does the phrase 'Dulce et Decorum est, Pro patria mori' translate to?

It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country Signup and view all the answers

What stylistic choice is made with the phrase 'Gas! GAs! Quick, boys!'?

Use of monosyllabic words Signup and view all the answers

What is described in 'flound'ring like a man in fire or lime'?

Pain from inhaling deadly gas Signup and view all the answers

What does 'as under a green sea, I saw him drowning' compare?

Gas-covered landscape to a sea Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of the metaphor 'drowning'?

Describes the suffering from gas Signup and view all the answers

What narrative perspective is used in 'I saw him...in all my dreams...plunges at me'?

First person narrative Signup and view all the answers

What tense is used in 'he plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning'?

Present progressive tense Signup and view all the answers

What do the negative connotations in 'smothering...' 'hanging...' 'obscene...' reinforce?

The horror of the situation Signup and view all the answers

What imagery is used in 'His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin'?

Devil imagery Signup and view all the answers

What do the positive connotations in 'high zest...' 'ardent...' 'glory...' represent?

The patriotism associated with war Signup and view all the answers

What effect do personal pronouns have in 'If you could hear...'?

Directly address the reader Signup and view all the answers

Who does 'my friend' allude to?

Patriotic poet, Jessie Pope Signup and view all the answers

What does 'vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues' refer to?

The waste of lives in WW1 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Literary Devices and Their Implications

Simile - "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks"
- Compares soldiers to beggars, highlighting their ragged appearance and implying neglect and poverty.
Simile - "Coughing like hags"
- Depicts soldiers as infirm and aged, suggesting the dehumanizing effects of war.
Metaphor - "Distant rest"
- Could refer to barracks but implies death, symbolizing the toll of WW1 with over nine million casualties.
Metaphor - "Haunting flares"
- Conveys a ghostly presence, reflecting the persistent fear that soldiers cannot escape.
Metaphor - "Men marched asleep"
- Portrays exhausted soldiers as lifeless, emphasizing the emotional numbness from trauma.
Metaphor - "Drunk with fatigue"
- Relates soldiers' disoriented state to drunkenness, illustrating their unalertness and staggering movements.
Metaphor - "Blood-shod. All went lame, all blind"
- Describes soldiers' bloodied feet, a dehumanizing image likening them to beasts of burden.
Irony - "Dulce et Decorum est, Pro patria mori"
- Translates to “it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country,” used to critique romanticized views of war.
Monosyllabic words - "Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!"
- Creates urgency and chaos, contrasting the previous slow pace and reflecting the sudden dangers of war.
Simile - "Flound'ring like a man in fire or lime"
- Uses familiar sensations to convey the painful experience of inhaling gas.
Simile - "As under a green sea, I saw him drowning"
- Compares the gas-affected landscape to a sea, illustrating the pervasive horror of the environment.

Emotional and Narrative Techniques

Metaphor - "Drowning"
- Relates the impact of gas on soldiers to drowning, reinforcing the suffocating terror.
First person narrative - "I saw him...in all my dreams...plunges at me"
- Establishes personal experience, enhancing the emotional weight and credibility of the narrative.
Present progressive tense - "He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning"
- Brings the haunting image to the present, revealing ongoing trauma experienced after the war.
Negative connotations - "smothering..." "hanging..." "obscene..."
- Amplify the horror and despair of the soldiers' experiences.
Simile - "His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin"
- Links war imagery to hell, suggesting profound moral depravity and horror.
Positive connotations - "high zest..." "ardent..." "glory..."
- Represents the patriotic rhetoric surrounding war, contrasting sharply with the horrific realities Owen depicts.
Personal pronouns - "If you could hear..."
- Directly engages the reader, forcing them to confront the grim realities faced by soldiers.
Allusion - "My friend"
- References Jessie Pope, a patriotic poet, highlighting Owen's disdain for romanticized views of war that led many to enlist.
Metaphor - "Vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues"
- Describes the catastrophic waste of life during WW1, emphasizing the tragic loss of innocence and the horrific outcomes of misguided patriotism.

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Description

Explore the rich techniques and vocabulary used in the poem 'Dulce et Decorum est' through this interactive quiz. Each flashcard presents a simile and its deeper meanings, revealing the harsh realities faced by soldiers. Test your understanding of these powerful literary devices.