At the beginning of the poem, Owen describes the exhaustion of the soldiers during war, creating a grim environment. The men are “bent double” and “knock-kneed”, resembling that of “old beggars” and “coughing like hags”. These soldiers, despite being young, are miserable and exhausted as the effects of war had taken a huge toll on them. The act of “trudging” towards their “distant rest”, a euphemism for death, strongly suggests that their steps were heavy as they felt reluctant and worn-out. The “men marched asleep”, continuing to limp on despite “losing their boots”, which highlights the fact that they were so tired, such that they were behaving like the living dead. While marching, they were so “drunk with fatigue” that they were “deaf” to the “hoots of gas-shells dropping softly behind”. This shows that despite the enemies shooting, the soldiers were too tired to hear the rifles, and continued to trudge. This stanza demonstrates that the soldiers were extremely exhausted, and they were already numb to the horrors of war.

At the end of the poem, the persona addresses the reader. He mentions that if we experience the same “smothering dreams” of the dying soldier, we would not be able to share the “old Lie” with children, who yearn for glory, so eagerly. The “old Lie” directly translates to “It is sweet and fitting sacrifice, to die for your country”. This suggests that the idea of war was glorified. Those who died for their country were seen as loyal and fitting. In the past, war was portrayed as something filled with pride and glory. However, based on Owen’s vivid descriptions of war, this statement is false. In reality, war simply brings about destruction and deaths, causing misery to everyone involved. The brutal reality of war is horrifying; even if one survives the war, they have to live with the endless trauma of watching those around them die gruesomely for the rest of their lives. The effects of war will never fade and will continue to torment one even after decades. 

The key idea of the end is the agonizing reality of war, as well as the glorification of war. Owen wants the reader to know that war is not a glorious event, so he paints a realistic and miserable picture of it in this poem. 

Q3:

The poet has written this poem to highlight the difference between the horrifying reality of war and the glorious image of war painted by the government. 

In the third stanza, the purpose of the poem is further highlighted by the vivid description of the horrors of war. It is mentioned that “in all his dreams” before the persona’s “helpless sight”, he still sees the dying soldier “plunging at him”, “guttering, choking, drowning”. He still dreams about the dying soldier, which could be due to a sense of guilt. Perhaps, the persona still feels guilty about being unable to help, and had no choice but to watch the gas consume his comrade. This suggests that the persona can never escape from the effects of war, and to this day, he is still traumatized and has recurring nightmares about the war. The repetition of the word “drowning” also supports this idea. 

In the first stanza, the soldiers, "like old beggars under sacks" , cough violently as they "marched asleep", "drunk with fatigue" and walk towards their "distant rest". Here, we see the exhausted and barely cognizant soldiers bordering the line of death. Yet bound by their duty to their country and as soldiers, they "limped on, blood-shod", which might imply that they had to trudge on through the blood of their brethren, so much so that they "all went lame; all blind" to the horrors and death of warfare. Even in Owen's dreams, his fellow soldiers who died horrifically "plunges at (him), guttering, choking, drowning", the memories traumatising him long after the war has been fought.

However, the old Lie, the "truth" that is spread as common belief, is that it is a sweet and fitting sacrifice to die for your country, that it is proud and honourable to fight and die for your country. This sentiment is so widespread that even children are "ardent for some desperate glory", but what the masses are oblivious to is the truth of war, which Owen comments on by addressing the audience, telling them that "If in some smothering dreams", we as the audience would also "pace behind the wagon" the dead bodies have been flung in, seen the gory image of wounded soldiers fighting to stay conscious as "the white eyes (writhe) in (their) face...blood come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs". His gruesome imagery highlights the absolute horrors and devastation of war, and his address to us urges us to imagine ourselves as a soldier in such brutal conditions. 

The real truth is that war is not the glorious and sweet path as is perpetuated; it is an atrocity and a brutal and bloody path that is not worth sacrificing your life for.

qn 3: 

Owen wrote this poem to send a message to others glorifying the path of a soldier, that war is not the heroic and honourable scene as was spread. It is a warning to those aspiring soldiers that just crave the honour and glory of having fought a war; the gruesome and macabre sights are just not worth this glory for the status of a soldier. Owen vividly describes the various grotesque images of war, soldiers “bent double…coughing like hags”, many “drunk with fatigue”, but still marching on as if they “all went lame; all blind…deaf to the hoots of gas-shells dropping softly behind”. These men have become so jaded and saturated with the absolute atrocities of war that they no longer frighten at the sound of bullets or chemical attacks; instead they just continue to trudge on, seemingly walking towards their “distant rest”, towards their death.

A man “drowning” in “ a green sea” of war vehicles and artillery, having been viciously killed, “guttering, choking, drowning”. The repetition of the word ‘drowning’ emphasizes the profound haunting the death of this man and his fellow soldiers have on Owen himself, that he keeps seeing men drown “in all (his) dreams, before (his) helpless sight”. 

The main purpose of this poem is shown in the last stanza, where the “old Lie” is revealed; “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori”, meaning it is sweet and fitting to die for the homeland. But here, we see that that is not true. It is also reflective of the hypocrisy exemplified by those who spread this same “Lie”, that they have not seen the actuality of war, the grotesque and horror of battle. Owen wrote this poem to caution those that have yet to go into war, but are absorbed in the glory of war, and to criticise the government, who send these men into battlefields, oblivious or indifferent to the cruel and haunting experiences that these soldiers go through.

However, the poem ends by focusing on what happens behind the battle. At the end of the poem, "watch the white eyes writhing in his face, his hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin" and "Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud". This suggests that being a soldier in war is not as glorious as it seems, but instead a very sad experience. 

The key idea emphasised at the end is the truth behind the war. Children were taught that being able to sacrifice your life for the country is glorious. However, in the ending of the poem, the poet shows the sad truth that soldiers in war lose many dear friends. 

3. A possible reason that the poet wrote this poem is to teach the readers that war is not as glorious as it seems on the surface. In the last stanza, "The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori". This suggests that the poet does not agree with the thought of being willing to sacrifice one's life just for their country, and that the poet believes that every life is precious.