“Dulce et Decorum Est” (1918), a poem by Wilfred Owen, offers readers a view of war unlike the romanticized depictions common in the early 20th century. Owen, born in 1893, died in combat during World War I in 1918. This British writer amplified the basic theme of the poem by beginning the poem in iambic pentameter; later, he deviates from the poetic form to immerse the reader in the chaotic and desperate atmosphere of the poem. The author's main idea reflects the haunting tragedy and irony of war in a passionate appeal to those who appeal to youth with glorified ideas of battle. The dramatic situation of this poem provides information about the speaker, the audience, and the plot. “Dulce et Decorum Est” is told from the perspective of a soldier. The speaker is a character in the poem, and the use of "we" and "I" determines that the poem is written in the first person point of view. The speaker addresses those who would present the idea of ​​fighting as a soldier in war as a noble and heroic action. The story takes place during a gas attack on a British company during World War I (Moran). The use of past and present verb tenses explains the impact of events on the narrator and the tone of the poem. The past tense is used to describe the war scene and situation, but the present tense, used to describe the narrator's dreams, illustrates the unforgettable nature of the events. The tone of despair, bitterness, and irony reflects the speaker's motivation. The first stanza of this poem immediately immerses the reader into the experience of battle and depicts the desperate and dilapidated nature of the soldiers. The use of the simile “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks” highlights the sad state of the medium of paper in wartime. The dramatic situation of this poem follows the speaker who is a soldier. The dramatic examples and choice of words immerse the reader in horrific war scenes. The impact of war on a soldier is well developed, and the aftermath of these experiences is examined as an effort to implore and correct the audience. “Dulce et Decorum Est” provides the reader with the information perhaps necessary to understand that romanticized views of war are contrary to reality. Works Cited Lutz, Kimberly. “Preview of ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’.” Poetry for students. Ed. Michael L. LaBlanc. Flight. 10. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. Online. Literary Resource Center. May 11, 2011. Moran, Daniel. “Preview of ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’.” Poetry for students. Ed. Michael L. LeBlanc. Flight. 10. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. Online. Literary Resource Center, May 11 2011.