1. Who are the characters in this poem and what is happening to them? 2. Which words or phrases tell you that the soldiers were suff ering and exhausted?
3. Examples of simile, alliteration and assonance are indicated in the poem. Find other examples of each of these techniques.
4. There are many verbs ending in ‘-ing’ that describe the panic and agony of the gassed man. List six of them.
5. In your opinion, which words or phrases best express the terrible pain of the gassed man?
Go to YouTube and look up ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est Animation’ (3:20) to see an animation and recitation of this poem.
Write to Analyse, Evaluate, Explain, Comment [W3]
Choose a poem that you have studied on the theme of war and say what you think makes it a good poem.
Examination questions often ask you to explain what you enjoyed in a poem.
Sample Answer (Ordinary Level) I like a poem that tells a story, and in my opinion ‘And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda’ is a good poem because it tells the story of a man before he goes to war, what happens to him and how he feels about it years later. It shows how his life was changed forever because he fought at Gallipoli, one of the worst bat les of World War I.
The student states his opinion and gives two
reasons for his choice of poem. Note that many song lyrics can be considered poetry.