"Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori...."See in text(Text of the Poem)
Owen alludes to Odes in order to juxtapose pro-war patriotism with the actual lived experiences of soldiers fighting for their country. Juxtaposition is a device in which two things are placed side by side in order to emphasize their differences. By presenting Horace’s idealistic portrayal of war alongside the reality of actually dying for one’s country, Owen demonstrates that there is really nothing noble or glorious about war.
"To children ardent for some desperate glory,..."See in text(Text of the Poem)
Owen concludes the poem by arguing that pro-war patriots would hesitate to encourage “children” to go to war if they understood the brutality and consequences of battle. At this moment, it is clear that the text’s horrifying images are intended to force the reader to acknowledge and perhaps empathize with both the dying soldier and the speaker, who continues to be haunted by his traumatic memories.
