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Questions and Answers
Describe the physical condition of the soldiers as depicted in the poem.
Bent double, knock-kneed, coughing, blood-shod, lame, blind, drunk with fatigue.
What is the title of the poem this excerpt is from?
Dulce et Decorum Est
What do the soldiers encounter that causes them to put on their helmets?
Gas-shells dropping softly behind.
Describe the scene where the poet witnesses a soldier drowning.
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What imagery does the poet use to describe the soldier's face?
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What message does the poet convey through the phrase 'The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori'?
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Why does the poet mention children being ardent for desperate glory?
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Study Notes
The Physical and Emotional State of the Soldiers
- Soldiers are compared to old beggars, worn out and exhausted, trudging through the sludge
- They are crippled and limping due to fatigue, blind to the surroundings, and deaf to the sounds of war
The Effects of Gas Attacks
- The soldiers are suddenly alerted to a gas attack with cries of "Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!"
- They scramble to put on their clumsy helmets just in time, but one soldier is still yelling and stumbling around
- The narrator sees a comrade drowning in a sea of gas, an image that haunts his dreams
The Horrors of War
- The narrator describes the horrific state of the soldier who was left behind, with white eyes writhing in his face
- The soldier's face is hanging, with blood gargling from his lungs, a scene that represents the obscenity of war
- The image is reminiscent of a devil's sick of sin, symbolizing the loss of innocence in war
Anti-War Sentiment
- The poem protests the glorification of war, criticizing those who enthusiastically promote it to the young
- The phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" (it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country) is rejected as a lie, highlighting the falsity of romanticizing war
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Description
Test your understanding of World War I poetry by analyzing this excerpt and answering questions about its themes, imagery, and emotions.
