One major tool the author uses to establish his argument that dying for one’s country is not a true honor but an old lie is the title, in which he uses as the antagonist to his argument. The title of the poem reads, “Dulce et Decorum Est,” which in Latin means that something is “honorable.” (Winkler 177) By having an understanding of this phrase one can assume that the poem will consist of an honorable theme. However, in the poem the author shows how certain groups of individuals are blinded with the ideas or rather lies that it is an honor to die for one’s country. The author explains how the soldiers who he compares to …show more content…
The author also clarifies how the people responsible for the individual’s unawareness and lack of control is due to the act of telling them lies about the war. “You with such high zest [tell] children ardent for some desperate glory, the old lie: Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori.” (701) The author states how the certain individuals are telling lies to children that are passionate for some desperate high honor or noble achievement, which is dying for one’s country. Ironically, the last two lines which include the title, provide the readers with evidence that it is an old lie to die for one’s country, because the very people who are being told lies are dying for those exact lies. More importantly, the author’s shift in themes,