Understanding the realities of war in Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand how Owen presents the bleak reality of war.
Key learning points
- Wilfred Owen was a soldier who fought and died in WWI.
- There was a huge disparity in the glorified perception of war, versus the bleak reality of it.
- The poem dismantles and condemns the perception of war being promoted by propaganda.
- The poem paints a graphic image of soldiers who are caught in a gas attack.
- Owen used his poetry as a means of exposing the true futility and horror of war.
Keywords
Bleak - not hopeful or encouraging
To dismantle - to take apart/ to destroy the integrity of something
Disparity - a significant difference between two things
Propaganda - biased or misleading information used to influence public opinion
To glorify - to unjustifiably or wrongfully represent something as admirable
Common misconception
Students often think that the dying soldier was already dead when he was thrown into the wagon.
It is important that students understand that the soldier was still half-alive when he was tossed, dying, into the body wagon. This needs to be understood for students to grasp the brutality of war and the lack of respect soldiers were shown.
Teacher tip
Consider how you'll present the poem to students on the first reading so that they grasp the true tone of Owen's words.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of the Eduqas poetry anthology for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When did the First World War begin?
Q2.When did the First World War end?
Q3.What is propaganda?
Q4.Who is the speaker in a poem?
Q5.What language method is used in the following quotation from ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’: “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks”?
Q6.A is another name for a verse in a poem.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When was 'Dulce et Decorum Est' published?
Q2.What does the phrase “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” translate to?
Q3.How are the soldiers feeling in stanza 1 of ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’?
Q4.Complete the quotation from stanza 2 of ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’: “But someone still was yelling out and stumbling/ And flound’ring like a man in fire or ..."
Q5.How does Owen feel at the end of 'Dulce et Decorum Est' when he writes “My friend, you would not tell with such high zest/ To children ardent for some desperate glory,/ The old Lie..”?
Q6.Why did Owen write ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’?
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Understanding the realities of war in Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Understanding the realities of war in Owen's 'Dulce et Decorum Est', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the Poetry anthology (Assessment until summer 2026) unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.