Heroism

In “dulce et decorum est” it describes a gas attack with imagery it says “gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – an
ecstasy of fumbling” this shows the chaos and panic in the trenches sometimes especially when
there is something like chemical warefare happening. Overall this poem shows some of the horrible
terrifying bits of war unlike the tradional heroic ideas. In journeys end standhope as a reputation of a
big war hero because of all the massive bravery from him. Later in the play where pressure is on him
where Osborn dies Stanhope struggles to keep his hero title as he needs to keep the emotional side
heroic as well as the bravery and other heroic characteristics. The last line in dulce et decorum est is
“pro patria mori” which is Latin for it is sweet and fitting to die for ones country this is also a
example of traditional heroisum. Traditional heroisum is basically just to be brave.

In conclusion to be a real hero you need to be able to deal with much more than just to be brave the
need to be able to take the psychological and emotiomal toll of war. After WW1 peoples peception
of a hero changed massively because of the horrors of the war.