"It is sweet and proper to die for one's country". In Owen's poem Dulce Et Decorum Est, this statement is referred to as "the old lie". First of all, I find it strange to refer to any manner of death as "sweet". Upon dying, not only does a person cease to exist, no longer able to pursue their dreams, but they leave behind people who love them, and whose lives will be forever changed. This in my mind is the opposite of "sweet". Next, by saying that it is "proper" to die for one's country, it is implied that it is something everyone should do, like having good manners. Proper to die? Yes, everyone dies but does it make a difference in what way? What makes dying for one's country "proper" and "sweet" compared to dying in any other way?
After reading this poem, I would be surprised if any one could agree with this statement. It seems that even the most patriotic of people could not read what these men went through for their country and call their death "sweet" or "proper". How can Owen believe that death for your country is "sweet" after watching the man die in front of him of gas?
This poem can be considered anti-war, definitely. It seems to me that it would be hard for anyone to read this poem and not feel a little anti-war themselves.
"For Democracy Any Man Would give His Only Begotten Son"
ReplyDeleteAbove are the words spoken in the song "One" by Metallica. While the video/song shows the suffering of a young man back from the war, I believe that the statement above sends a very strong message. One must fight to protect his/her country and what that country stands for. I do not believe "Dulce Et Decorum Est" is a lie. The problem with people today is that barley anyone has any sense of patriotism. The majority of people in this country want to reap the benefits of war but in return give nothing to deserve the liberties that come from it. The liberties that they feel entitled to. Most Americans believe that wearing red, white and blue once a year is enough. We have the 'someone else will take care of it' attitude. So what about the other 364 days in the year? War is not a place for lollipops and rainbows. What the heck do people think happens during a war? There will always be suffering. It is really annoying that because a few poets actually can express the real horrors of war that people want to turn into a bunch of pansies, acting as if they don’t enjoy the freedoms that others have suffered and died for (none of this is directed directly at L.Decker but to this generation as a whole). It is an honorable death to die for one's country. It is sweet in that you laid your life down so that others (your children, your parents, your friends) can live in a world that is better than the one you left them in. It is proper, as I explained in my small tangent, for one to die for his or her country because he or she has enjoyed the freedoms associated with that particular country. I appreciate Owen's poem because it opens eyes to the truths of war. However, Brooke had the right idea. He was positive in a negative situation. These men were going to suffer regardless of how bad it made their wives, children, and neighbors feel. He was creating a sense of pride among the people. What will take to get pride back in our country? To get people to take a stand instead of sitting on their BUTTS waiting on someone else to do it for them! This is so irritating to me, but what should I expect in a country where u can't even get people to understand how important it is to vote let alone fight for OUR freedoms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=WM8bTdBs-cw
If you have trouble finding the video just go to youtube.com and search "One Metallica" its the first option available. I truely recommend watching it. It is a great song paired with a great video. (Really Sad but Great)