Question

Symbolism for Dulce Et Decorum Est:
What are some visual images/symbols that could represent the theme of "the reality of war" ?
Link to poem: http://english.emory.edu/LostPoets/Dulce.html

Answer 1

Lovely poem. Vivid.
The first image that strikes me is
"Men marched asleep." which comments on the lack of sleep that soldiers have when in war. They always have to be ready to fight so deep sleep is never allowed.

The second stanza is jolting, it pulls the soldiers out of their dreamy, half awake state and into a fire. This points to the ways in which a situation can quickly change in war. The last line of the previous stanza states "Of disappointed shells that dropped behind." which fools the reader into thinking that the threat of war is behind them. So when a voice shouts everyone is "clumsy", and "fumbles", "stumbles" and "flounders". These adjectives are the opposite of what an outsider would think of soldiers and war. When we see them on parade, they always seem neat and in control, so is the writer or the protagonist of the poem trying to tell us that there is no order in war, only survival? A fighting to survive is not always neat?

Also, the images of the flounder/lime/green sea/mist/ point to a fish out of water. And a fish out of water dies. So, when in war one must not stand out, one must be quick and heed the call or else one will die

The last stanza deals with the reality of death and dying. wars are filled with dead bodies, coughing, sores, blood.
"If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,"
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--

'White eyes writhing" is provocative, not only is it rhythmic (pentameter) but haunting. One one thinks of white eyes, one thinks of death, stasis, but these eyes are writhing indicating life/movement/pain, so these writing white eyes could be a symbol of suffering, and the soldier's untimely death.

"Obscene as cancer" is another phrase that is worth a second look. It seems that war is as obscene as cancer. Like cancer, war starts as a small disagreement that escalates until millions of people (cells) die. Encarta defines obscene as "disgusting and morally offensive, especially through an apparent total disregard for others' rights or natural justice." So not only is cancer a symbol for war, it also represents the way in which the dead are treated. They are flung into wagons and when you read that line. It is harsh and uneven with hard consonants.
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,


Note: The translation of the latin "Dulce et Decorum Est" is
"Sweet and fitting it is." The translation of "Pro patria mori" is
"To die for one's country."

Well, hope this helps. It's not in any order just my initial thoughts.(with a few sp errors, forgive me)