Simile:
* "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks..." (This compares the soldiers to beggars, highlighting their exhaustion and misery.)
Metaphor:
* "An ecstasy of fumbling, fitting the clumsy helmets..." (This portrays the struggle to put on gas masks as an almost ecstatic experience, highlighting the urgency and panic.)
* "Incurably infected..." (This refers to the lasting impact of the war on the soldiers' minds and souls.)
* "The old Lie..." (This refers to the idea that war is glorious and honorable, which the poem debunks.)
Personification:
* "The blood came gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs..." (Giving the lungs human qualities like gargling emphasizes the horror of the gas attack.)
* "Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud..." (This gives the gas human-like qualities to emphasize its ugliness and destructiveness.)
Imagery:
* "If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood / Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs..." (This vivid sensory detail creates a powerful image of the horrific effects of gas poisoning.)
* "Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light, / As under a green sea, I saw him drowning..." (This evocative imagery creates a powerful and disturbing picture of the soldier's death.)
Symbolism:
* The gas attack: This symbolizes the brutality and senselessness of war.
* The soldier's death: This symbolizes the loss of innocence and the devastating impact of war on individuals.
* "The old Lie": This symbolizes the false glorification of war and its effects on society.
Other Figurative Language:
* Alliteration: "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks..."
* Assonance: "Incurably infected, / ... and bitter as the cud / Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues..."
* Repetition: "Dulce et decorum est / ... Dulce et decorum est / ... Dulce et decorum est..."
Overall, Owens' use of figurative language in "Dulce et decorum est" helps to create a deeply moving and impactful poem that effectively conveys the horrors of war and challenges the traditional glorification of combat.