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Short Text essay
For each of the studied texts, analyse how TWO methods used by the author affected your
opinion of an important issue or idea.
In the poems 'Dulce et Decorum est' by Wilfred Owen and 'Charge of the Light Brigade' by Lord Alfred Tennyson methods
of diction, imagery through use of metaphor and simile, and repetition are used by the authors. The use of these methods
affected my opinion on the reality of war and the false portrayal through propaganda as they illustrate contrasting ideas;
'Dulce et decorum Est' expressing the harsh reality of war and how it is falsely portrayed through propaganda, and 'Charge
of the Light brigade' being the epitome of false portrayal of war.
In 'Dulce et Decorum est,' the diction used by the author throughout the poem made me question the representation of war
through the media and changed my opinion on whether the war is portrayed truthfully. Owen does this by his choice of
emotive words and use of personal pronouns. For example in the third stanza the author challenges the reader by saying “If
in some smothering dreams you too could pace behind the wagon that we flung him in...” Then later reaches the point of the
poem by saying; “My friend you would not tell with such high zest...The old lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori” The
diction “smothering dreams” suggests that Owen has been haunted by the image of his comrade dying. That his dreams and
thoughts are “smothered” permanently by this image. This relates to the issue of false representation of the war as Wilfred
Owen is trying to warn readers that this is the reality of war, that war is not how it is advertised to be and that he himself has
realised that the campaigns that made him want to join the war were all lies. By using personal pronouns “you” and “we”
the reader is challenged to think about the situation he is describing and put themselves in his position. As a reader I did this
which then affected my thoughts on the war and made me agree with Owen about how the motto at that time 'It is sweet and
right to die for your country' is wrong. The sight of his comrade dying a slow painful death proves this as he did not die in a
'sweet' way. The army markets this motto in order to make people think that joining the army is the right thing to do because
if they told the truth, that dying at war is not always heroic and honourable then less people would join the army.
Another method used by Wilfred Owen is simile. In the first stanza a troop of soldiers are described as “Bent double, like
old beggars under sacks, knock-kneed coughing like hags.” The soldiers being likened to old, unhealthy beings is once
again expressing the falseness of how war is advertised. In the media and propaganda soldiers are illustrated as strong,
healthy, young men which is a complete contrast to how Owen describes the soldiers in the midst of war in 'Dulce et
Decorum Est.' This comparison of the realistic state which soldiers would be in after exhausting themselves through fighting
at the front line to how soldiers are portrayed in propaganda, the picture of health and vigor, further expresses Owen's
opinion of wanting the world too understand the harsh reality of war instead of believing how it is represented in the media.
Being able to identify Owen's opinions and thoughts on the war through this use of simile made me think about my own
opinions on the issue. In advertisements for army recruits we see pictures of happy, healthy energetic soldiers which makes
us think that one will be like this if they join the army. Wilfred Owen's simile describing what the soldiers were like at war
made me compare these images and think about how in reality, soldiers would not always be happy and healthy and that
representation through the media can create false portrayals of any group, person issue and cannot always be believed.
On the contrary, Lord Alfred Tennyson's 'Charge of the Light Brigade' uses the language method of repetition to emphasise
the idea that dying at war is noble and heroic. This method made me understand how war can easily be glorified when being
illustrated, and helped me see the techniques used by propaganda and media to make people see war and being a part of an
army as being an honourable and glorious thing to do. Repetition is used throughout 'Charge of the Lite Brigade,' an
example of this is in the second stanza “Some one had blundered: Theirs not to make reply Theirs not to reason why Theirs
but to do and die,” this line explores how even though someone had made a mistake in the leadership of their battle which
caused them to lose to the enemy, the soldiers had no right or reason to question the authority or feel annoyed at the mistake
because it is their job “to do and die.” Meaning that they have gone into this battle with the knowledge in mind that dying is
expected of them, as it is a loyal act for their country. Repetition is also used at the end of each stanza. At the end of the first
three Tennyson writes “Rode the six hundred,” which then changes to “Not the six hundred” at the end of the fourth stanza,
“Left of six hundred” in the fifth stanza and “Noble six hundred!” in the last stanza. This shows how although the number of
six hundred men was depleting as they failed their battle and men died, the men killed were still “noble” because their
deaths had been the ultimate act of loyalty, dying for their country. The repetition used in this poem expressing Tennyson's
pride and honor given to the dead soldiers is an example of the ways in which war is depicted as exciting and heroic by
propaganda. As Tennyson was the British laureate, it was his job to represent the British army in a positive way. This is why
even though the British failed they are portrayed as having done well and being honourable, proving my opinion on
representation of the war and that it is illustrated falsely through the media.
Metaphor is also used in 'Charge of the Light Brigade.' Alfred Tennyson writes in the third stanza “Boldly they rode and
well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of hell” describing the brigade entering the battlefields. The comparison of the
battle to “death” and “hell” shows that the members of the brigade were prepared and are expecting to die on entering
because they have been taught that it is their job to die for their country. This quote is also illustrating that even though they
were entering a probable death, they still rode “bold” and “well,” emphasising the braveness of the soldiers and their loyalty
to fight for Britain. This use of metaphor clearly emphasises the greatness of the soldiers and their bravery, and puts the
soldiers on a pedestal for the readers which would encourage that if you make the loyal sacrifice to join the army and
become part of a war, then you too could be given this attention and flattery. This metaphor does not describe the reality of
how the soldiers would've felt on entering, it is unrealistic for one to feel “bold” and “well” when entering a dire battle.
Later in the poem this metaphor is used again to describe the few surviving soldiers returning from the fight. “They that had
fought so well Came through the jaws of death, back from the mouth of hell” This further emphasises how greatly the
soldiers must've fought to escape the “jaws of death” and gives extra credit to the survivors of the horrendous battle.
Through use of metaphor Tennyson has exaggerated the situation to be a great one, even though it clearly wasn't as two
hundred men died and they did not win the battle which is another example of war being portrayed falsely in order to make
it seem desirable to be fighting in a war. This made me feel even stronger about my opinion on the reality of war being
edited for propaganda and being falsely represented in order for people not to see how terrible war is.
In the poems 'Dulce et Decorum est' and 'Charge of the Light Brigade' both illustrate war in very contrasting ways. Methods
of diction, simile, metaphor, and repetition are used in these illustrations which affected my opinion on the reality of war
and how it is misrepresented through the media and propaganda in order for it to be appealing for people to join the army.