Wilfred Owen : ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’, ‘Strange Meeting’, ‘The Send-Off’

Introduction to Wilfred Owen’s War Poetry

Welcome to your study notes for Wilfred Owen! Owen is perhaps the most famous "War Poet" of the First World War. Unlike the poets who stayed at home and wrote about the glory of fighting, Owen was a soldier who saw the horrors of the trenches firsthand. His poetry is not about flags and medals; it is about what he called "the pity of war."

For the 2028 HKDSE, you need to study three of his poems: ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’, ‘Strange Meeting’, and ‘The Send-Off’. These poems are often examined in Paper 2 Section B, where you will be asked to compare the themes and techniques used by the poet. Don't worry if the language seems a bit dark—Owen’s goal was to tell the truth about war, and these notes will help you uncover that truth clearly.

1. ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’

This is Owen’s most famous "protest" poem. The title comes from a Latin saying: "It is sweet and honorable to die for one’s country." By the end of the poem, Owen calls this saying an "Old Lie."

The Content: A Nightmare Scenario

The poem is divided into two main parts. First, we see the exhaustion of the soldiers. They aren't brave heroes; they are described as beggars and hags, coughing and limping through the mud. They are so tired they are "drunk with fatigue."

Suddenly, there is a gas attack. This is the turning point. Owen describes the "ecstasy of fumbling" as the men scramble for their gas masks. One man is too slow. Owen watches him through the "misty" green glass of his own mask, describing the soldier as if he is drowning in a "green sea."

Key Techniques

• Graphic Imagery: Owen uses shocking details, like the sound of blood "gargling" from ruined lungs, to make the reader feel the physical pain of war.
• Similes: He compares the soldiers to "old beggars under sacks" and "hags." This destroys the traditional image of a soldier being tall, strong, and handsome.
• Direct Address: In the final stanza, Owen talks directly to "you" (the reader or people at home). He says that if you could see these horrors, you wouldn't tell children the "Old Lie" about the glory of war.

Key Takeaway: This poem contrasts the myth of war (glory) with the reality (suffering and a lonely, agonizing death).

2. ‘The Send-Off’

While ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ is loud and chaotic, ‘The Send-Off’ is quiet and eerie. It focuses on the moment soldiers board the trains to go to the front line.

The Content: A Secret Departure

The soldiers have just finished a ceremony. They are "giving" flowers to people, but the atmosphere is not celebratory. They are sent away secretly, via "siding-sheds" and dark lanes, as if they are doing something shameful or being sent to their deaths.

The poem then jumps to the future. Most of these men will never come back. Those who do return will not come back to cheering crowds; they will "creep" back to silent villages, unnoticed and broken.

Key Techniques

• Ominous Atmosphere: The poem feels like a funeral. The white flowers the soldiers wear are "like the guards" of a tomb.
• Symbolism: The train represents a one-way journey to the grave. The "wrongs" and "shame" Owen mentions suggest that the government is trying to hide the scale of the slaughter.
• Contrast: Owen contrasts the cheering crowds at the beginning (implied by the flowers) with the silence of the few who return.

Key Takeaway: This poem highlights the betrayal of the soldiers. They are sent away like sacrifices, and their eventual return (if they survive) is lonely and forgotten.

3. ‘Strange Meeting’

This is Owen’s most surreal and philosophical poem. It takes place in a dream-like vision of Hell.

The Content: Brotherhood in Death

The speaker escapes from the battle and finds himself in a deep, dark tunnel. He realizes he is in Hell. He meets a "dead soldier" who rises up and looks at him with "piteous recognition."

The two men talk. The second soldier speaks about the "pity of war distilled." He mourns the life he could have lived and the beauty he could have created. Then comes the famous twist: the second soldier reveals that he is the "enemy" whom the speaker killed the day before. He calls the speaker "friend."

Key Techniques

• Pararhyme (Half-rhyme): Owen uses pairs of words like hall/hell, grained/ground, and killed/cold. These rhymes sound "off" or "uncomfortable." This creates a sense of unease and sadness, reflecting the broken world of war.
• The Setting: Hell is not described as a place of fire, but as a "profound dull tunnel." It represents the mental "hell" of the soldiers and the waste of human potential.
• Irony: The "enemy" shows more compassion and brotherhood than the people who sent the soldiers to fight.

Key Takeaway: Owen argues that on a human level, there is no difference between enemies. War is a waste that destroys the common bond of brotherhood.

Comparison Summary (Essential for Paper 2)

In the exam, you might be asked to compare how Owen presents certain themes. Here is a quick guide:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Avoid saying Owen "hates his country": Owen didn't hate his country; he hated the way the war was being fought and the lies told about it. He was a brave soldier who won medals for bravery.
• Don't just list techniques: If you mention a simile, explain why it works. For example: "The simile comparing soldiers to hags shows how the war has aged and broken young men prematurely."
• Focus on the "Pity": Always come back to the idea that Owen wants us to feel pity for the waste of young lives.

Quick Review: Check Your Understanding

1. Why does Owen call the Latin phrase "The Old Lie"?
2. In ‘The Send-Off’, how does the return of the soldiers differ from their departure?
3. What is unique about the rhyming style in ‘Strange Meeting’, and what effect does it have?

Study Tip: When preparing for Paper 2 Section B, practice writing paragraphs that start with a theme (e.g., "The loss of identity") and use examples from two of these poems to show how Owen explores that theme in different ways.