Dulce Et Decorum Est – The Charge Of The Light Brigade

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Dulce Et Decorum Est - The Charge Of The Light Brigade

Introduction

The two poems I will be writing about are "Dulce Et Decorum Est" which was written during the first world war by Sir Wilfred Owen and portrays the horrors of war. The second poem is called "The Charge Of The Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson, which was written during the Crimean War and shows a completely different attitude to the "glory" of war.

This piece of work will be comparing how each poet views the loss of life in battle, and how the use of words and rhythm influence the readers' frame of mind.

A Comparison Of Two War Poems

The Charge Of The Light Brigade

This poem was written by a man named Alfred Lord Tennyson in the 19th century during the Crimean War. The style in which he wrote was to make each of the six verses tell about the sequence of events occurring during the battle. Tennyson's view of battle is shown by his use of words such as 'Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die' showing that he believes a soldiers duty is to his country no matter what the consequences and that the men should be proud to die in battle. It is written in a way that gives a rhythm as if to show the gallop of the horses as they ride into battle helping the reader picture the scene. Tennyson also tells about the bravery of the soldiers who rode into battle knowing that the order was given by mistake and that they would surely lose their lives. This gives the impression that he believes war to be glorious and it is right to die for your country. Throughout the poem the poet repeats phrases such as 'Cannon to the right of them, Cannon to the left of them, Cannon in front of them which helps to paint a picture of the battle and to enable the reader to imagine the conditions that the soldiers were fighting in. By repeating words such as 'Hell' and 'Death' the horror of the battle is put across although words such as 'Honour', 'Noble' 'Glory' and 'Hero' which are all repeated throughout the poem show that Tennyson believes that no matter the cost in human life the battle was just and each man should be proud and honoured to fight. The poem continues to tell how the men were shot at with cannons whilst only having sabres to fight with and so were completely helpless in the smoke and fire. Although only very few out of the original six hundred soldiers survived they are called 'heroes' and Tennyson uses the words 'When can their glory fade?' to once again bring to the readers attention the bravery and worthiness of the battle. I think the poem is a good poem because although it may not be an accurate description of the feelings of the soldiers as they rode into battle and the poet did not actually witness the conflict himself, his use of words would inspire other soldiers and make them feel proud and boost their morale. The poem did bring across to me the sadness of the situation as well and made me think about the futility of the loss of so many lives.
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A Comparison Of Two War Poems

Dulce Et Decorum Est

Dulce Et Decorum Est was written by Wilfred Owen during the First World War which began in 1914 and lasted for four years until 1918. Owen has written this in three verses and describes in great detail the agonizing horror the soldiers were forced to endure. He uses similes and metaphors to create a vivid image. The first line uses the phrase 'Bent double like old beggars under sacks', which gives a strong picture of the physical state of the men. It continues to describe their ...

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