This is an analysis of the poem Dulce Et Decorum Est that begins with:

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,... full text

Elements of the verse: questions and answers

The information we provided is prepared by means of a special computer program. Use the criteria sheet to understand greatest poems or improve your poetry analysis essay.

  • Rhyme scheme: ababacac dedefd fd agagchXhfifi
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 8,6,2,12,
  • Closest metre: iambic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: alternate rhyme
  • Сlosest stanza type: sonnet
  • Guessed form: blank verse
  • Metre: 1101110101 1110111111 1101011111 10111010101 1101101111 1111111111 1001110001 011101001 111111000100 1001010101 111111011100 11010101011 1101011111 11001111110 0111011101 110111001010 00110011111 0101011110 1101110001 01011010101 01111100101 1100010101 0111010101 010100111001 1111110111 010101110010 0111101001 11010
  • Amount of stanzas: 4
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 311
  • Average number of words per stanza: 56
  • Amount of lines: 28
  • Average number of symbols per line: 44 (strings are more long than medium ones)
  • Average number of words per line: 8
  • Mood of the speaker:

    The punctuation marks are various. Neither mark predominates.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; in is repeated.

    The poet repeated the same word drowning at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:

  • summary of Dulce Et Decorum Est;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Wilfred Owen