The two poems, “To Lucasta, going to the Wars” by Richard Lovelace and “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen are both devoted to the subject of war. Lovelace’s poem was written in the 17th century and as well as almost all the poetry of the period has romantic diction. The war is shown as something truly worthwhile, glossed and honorable for a man. The protagonist is leaving his beloved for the battlefield and his tone is pathetic and solemn. He calls the war his new mistress and asks his beloved woman not to be jealous as love to her is impossible for him without honor. In this way the overall mood of the poem is idealistic and heroic. The protagonist refers to war as a thrilling adventure and even affection. The tone of the Owen’s poem …show more content…

It is lacking its idealistic enthusiasm.
Many of the metaphors and epithets utilized by Owen are not common and look like the author’s lucky innovation. For example, the scene of a man drowning in the poisoning gas is described by the information which can be received by different senses: green dim light is compared with the smothering waters of a deep sea; the sounds are “guttering” and “choking” – stuttering and gurgling, similar to a candle flickering or a gutter with water draining through it. These similes strengthen the feeling of disgust and horror, as the air is full of monsters and fear. Powerful and uncompromising poetic devices in their rich variety help the author to depict the loathsome and brutal experience of death in war.
Not only the lexical devices are working, but phonetic devices are effective as well: the attention of the reader is described and chained by alliteration. For instance, the line “And watch the white eyes writhing in his face” with sound [w] repeated reminds deafening howling and wailing of sinister wind or some insatiable beast. At the same time they assist the author in the mood of mourning and lamenting for the perished. Confronting images are stocking in the reader’s mind. Eloquent are the similes used by Owen: the face of a suffering soldier is compared with “a devil’s sick of sin”; the blood coming from “froth-corrupted lungs” is described as “obscene s