ecstasy

ec sta sy |ˈekstəsē|     noun ( pl. -sies ) 2 chiefly archaic    an emotional or religious frenzy or trancelike state, originally one involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence.

Before I knew this particular definition of ecstasy, this stanza in Dulce et Decorum est confused me because I always knew ecstasy to mean intense joy, happiness, and/or excitement. This new definition gives me a better picture of the particular scene that the stanza is describing.

How does this definition help you understanding the stanza's meaning more fully? Make the connection from the definition back to the poem.