In his poem, Tennyson celebrates a charge made in the Crimean War. He tries to see the good on a mistaken command which led to this hopeless charge. Tennyson starts by implanting an image in the mind of the reader almost immediately, of these idealistic heroes, with “All in the valley of death/ Rode the six hundred”. The “Valley of death” is a biblical reference, giving them a sense of holy power, making them seem superhuman. This is emphasised by the repetition of these lines. Even though the men are “stormed at with shot and shell”, Tennyson claims that
“Boldly they rode and well
Into the jaws of death
Into the mouth of hell”
Fearlessness and heroism is suggested in the diction used; “Boldly”. Tennyson insists we honour this heroism “Honour the charge they made/ Honour the Light Brigade/ Noble six hundred”. His ideas of their fearlessness and heroism are further developed in the lines “There is not to make reply/ There is not to reason why/ There is but to do and die”. These men knew they were going to die, but they charged anyway.
In response to this poem, we also “wonder’d” of the brilliance of the brigade who left an army of Russians and Cossacks “Shatter’d and Sunder’d”
In direct comparison with Tennyson, Owen does not hold the same heroic views of war. This is clear from the first line, “Down the close and darkening lanes” creating the feeling of imminent death and increasing claustrophobia. Although we are told the men “Sang their way”, this is just an image, we are not persuaded. The singing seems out of place in this dark atmosphere.
Owen then uses dull imagery, of everyday things, anything but heroic “Dull porters watched them, and a casual tramp/ Stood staring hard/ Sorry to miss them from the upland camp/ Then, unmoved, signals nodded and a lamp/ Winked to the guard.”
“Shall they return to beating of great bells/ In wild train loads?” immediately looses all sense of the heroic with “a few, a few, too few for drums and yells/ May creep back”.
Another important aspect of heroism is loyalty, and doing ones duty. Tennyson admires this in the light brigade, and their unquestioning obedience “There’s not to reason why” even though “the soldier knew/ someone had blunder’d” the strong diction “blunder’d” is closest Tennyson gets to an insult against Lord Nolan, who gave the command. Though Tennyson lets him remain anonymous and immediately refocuses on these heroic men. Tennyson is aiming to avoid putting the blame on one particular person, by focusing on the heroic efforts of these soldiers.
Owen creates a sinister atmosphere with the alliteration of the two “s” in “So secretly, like wrongs hushed up.” The government is attempting to hide these men from the public aye, but Tennyson does the exact opposite. Owen feels he must expose this betrayal. Owen strongly believed in the morale aspect of poetry, he felt he could have an effect upon society through his poetry.
Despite their many differences, they both agree that it is in times of war that men face their darkest hour. Both show images of the men travelling to hell and back. “Into the jaws of death/ Into the mouth of hell”. It is clear Tennyson and Owen have many very contrasting views on war heroism. For Tennyson, it is a time of sheer heroism in the face of hopeless odds. For Owen, it is a view of the hopelessness felt by the soldiers being methodically shipped of to be, most likely, killed.
