Dulce et Decorum Est - Interactive Poetry Study

• English
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• GCSE

Introduction

A lesson exploring Dulce et Decorum Est in an interactive way! The emphasis is on student discovery and takes away the fear some students have on offering their opinions and analyses of poetry.

DULCE ET DECORUM EST

Wilfred Owen

Welcome to this interactive lesson on Dulce et Decorum Est.

We hope you enjoy it!

You can easily adapt it for other war poems or other poems!

In this lesson we will be using a mind map to collectively study the poem.

Your teacher will guide you!

There are questions to answer too!

This is a simple learning objectives page, please adjust to suit your learners!

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,

Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,

Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,

And towards our distant rest began to trudge.

Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,

But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;

Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots

Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

DULCE ET DECORUM EST

WILFRED OWEN 

You can take the stress out of discussing poetry with this!

You can provide a copy of the poem and let the class work in groups either on the whole text or one of the three sections on these slides. 

Alternatively use this just to get ideas from a cold reading.

You can drag the mind map bubbles to annotate the poem if you prefer.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling

Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,

But someone still was yelling out and stumbling

And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—

Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,

As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

WILFRED OWEN 

You can take the stress out of discussing poetry with this!

You can provide a copy of the poem and let the class work in groups either on the whole text or one of the three sections on these slides.

Alternatively use this just to get ideas from a cold reading.

You can drag the mind map bubbles to annotate the poem if you prefer.

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,—

My friend, you would not tell with such high zest

To children ardent for some desperate glory,

The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est

Pro patria mori.

WILFRED OWEN 

You can take the stress out of discussing poetry with this!

You can provide a copy of the poem and let the class work in groups either on the whole text or one of the three sections on these slides.

Alternatively use this just to get ideas from a cold reading.

You can drag the mind map bubbles to annotate the poem if you prefer.

What do the soldiers hear behind them?

What do the soldiers hear behind them?

1. Birds singing
2. Allies cheering
3. Gas-shells dropping
4. Artillery booming

I used Maia to save me time and generate some quiz questions. 

Get in touch if you want to know how!

Why do you think Owen describes the gas shells as dropping "softly"?

Why do you think Owen describes the gas shells as dropping "softly"?

Use of open question to follow up the quiz question.

What do the soldiers struggle through?

What do the soldiers struggle through?

1. Sand
2. Mud
3. Snow
4. Sludge

Maia generated this quiz question from the poem!

Why do you think Owen chose 'sludge' instead of 'mud'?

Why do you think Owen chose 'sludge' instead of 'mud'?

Another open question to deepen discussion.

What is the main theme of the poem?

What is the main theme of the poem?

1. victory celebrations
2. the horrors of war
3. peace treaties
4. heroism in battle

Thanks again to Maia!

How successful do you think the poem is in conveying the horrors of war?

How successful do you think the poem is in conveying the horrors of war?

05

A poll to follow on from the last question to generate discussion. 

What do the soldiers resemble in the poem?

What do the soldiers resemble in the poem?

1. Joyful marchers
2. Young heroes in battle
3. Victorious warriors
4. Old beggars under sacks

Thank you again Maia!

Construct a PEEL paragraph discussing Owen's poetic techniques

Construct a PEEL paragraph discussing Owen's poetic techniques

Opportunity to practice extended writing.

What is the "old lie" 'dulce et decorum est pro patria mori'?

What is the "old lie" 'dulce et decorum est pro patria mori'?

1. Peace is for the weak
2. War is glorious and just
3. It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country
4. Courage conquers all

This question was adjusted from Maia's suggestion. 

Teacher in control!

Construct a PEEL paragraph explaining the "old lie."

Construct a PEEL paragraph explaining the "old lie."

Another short extended writing opportunity. You can go through responses together.

Write something new you have learned today

Write something new you've learned today.

Exit ticket.

Ask a question about something you are unsure about

Ask a question about something you are unsure about in this poem.

Another exit ticket!