The poem uses nature to convey messages; ‘‘And you would say that sun and stars took part. In that unnatural conflict; for a cloud. grew suddenly in Heaven, and dark'd the sun’’, the writer uses the ‘ pathetic fallacy’ quite often to use nature as a possible means of hiding the actual violence or even to signify the full extent of the battle or to present nature against them. The warriors are the center of the show, they are the heroes of the battle – this is shown by the line; ‘’ For both the on-looking hosts on either hand’’. This shows that they are the ones in control and that they are the glorious warriors that many are here to watch fight an epic battle. Injury is much understated in this poem it is hidden by the writer; their injuries are described as ‘‘With bloodshot eyes. And labouring breath’’, they are being either understated or very subtle or even possibly both. Pain is discreet but still very hostile.
Sibilance is another method used in the poems, ‘’ Which Sohrab held stiff out; the steel-spiked spear. Rent the tough plates, but fail'd to reach the skin’’. The sibilance is on the letter ‘S’ this could be interpreted as a hissing tone which is associated with snakes, this could show the highlight of anger or venom the writer is trying to portray, or even the anger and venom between the two warriors. Rustum has ‘’ proud horsehair plume’’ on his helmet, this shows heroism because it is a sign that he has emerged victorious from many other battles and that he fights for good because the horse is a noble creature. This is also contrasted in the next line; ‘’ Never till now defiled, sank to the dust’’, it is contrasted because the horse reflects pain it is against war and is falling maybe because of the fact it has to fight nature and family, it is overwhelmed and its pride falls to the ground. It is set in a social historical context.
The poem has two outcomes being the ‘victor’ and the ‘vanquished’, the victor will be the hero but the loser will be a forgotten memory. Nature in this poem is much exaggerated in the poem. .‘Of some pain'd desert-lion’’, this could show how even the proudest of all animals still feels pain, the line; ‘’ And comes at night to die upon the sand’’, could be a representation of how nature shows its disapproval about father and son fighting. Injury is again understated in three main points; ‘’ with bloodshot eyes’’, ‘’ dreadful eyes’’ and ‘’ blinking eyes’’. These three points are litotes, they are understating the injuries. The audience become like animals throughout the piece. They could reflect the animalistic nature of the warriors. It could be masking serious internal injury, it shows decline.
Sohrab’s death is very brutal yet again it is hidden. Firstly he ‘’ shrank amazed’’ at the fact that he had realised he was fighting his father, then ‘’ he dropp'd. His covering shield and the spear pierced his side’’. His shield could have been dropped in shock that he had realised he was fighting his father or due to the injuries he had sustained. ‘’ And the spear pierced his side. He reel'd, and staggering back, sank to the ground; And then the gloom dispersed, and the wind fell, And the bright sun broke forth, and melted all. The cloud; and the two armies saw the pair-Saw Rustum standing, safe upon his feet, And Sohrab, wounded, on the bloody sand’’. The spear was the final blow, it was too late for Rustum to stop, he didn’t know hat he was fighting his son. It was a mortal wound that would have killed him in the end if not then. The use of dynamic verbs could represent the fighting and the use of stature verbs could represent the injuries. The repetition of the word ‘and’ shows that the poem is ordinary and it is hiding the importance. This poem is very emotionless, most modern day poets would describe war with more brutality.
The poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson uses imagery and figurative language creates the tone of exhilaration and the theme of honouring the qualities of the Light Brigade. The poem's structure is very fragmented; his rhymes were mainly repetition of the same word at the end of line or the entire line itself. Again the images of war are magnificent in this poem. It has a strong rhythm. The violence in this piece is positive. In the first stanza it has the phrase; ‘’ Into the valley of Death. Rode the six hundred’’, this is a metaphor it could be a sign of heroism because valley sounds like valiant which is associated with heroes, as they are brave and valiant.
In the second stanza we see that it says; ‘’Was there a man dismayed?’’, this shows hidden pain, it also says ‘’ Not though the soldier knew. Someone had blundered’’, this could be subtle criticism of the commanders saying that may be their fault for leading a pointless charge at the enemy. In the third stanza ‘’ Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them’’, this shows that they are under heavy fire but still they fight, it is heroism but stupidity at the same time. The way the phrase is written makes it seem as though the soldiers are a whole unit - they are one, it is a loss of identity. No names are mentioned.
Also in the third stanza the word ‘‘boldly’’ is used, this compliments the soldiers bravery to fight for their country which is very patriotic. In the fourth stanza it says; ‘’ Flashed all their sabres bare, Flashed as they turned in air, Sabring the gunners there’’, this paints a vivid image of the battle, it also could symbolise un-mutual destruction because they are going full force in to battle. This is the main bit of the war but it has been simplified. ‘’ All the world wondered’’, this is like a rhetorical question, but ‘why?’ did the world wonder, it could have been that they were amazed by the braveness or wondering about the stupidity of the soldiers. The thing was due to social historical context, during the time when this poem was written, it was seen as a crime to criticise people in the war because they were considered as heroes and patriots because they wee fighting for their country. ‘’ Battery Smoke’’ in the fourth stanza presents some sort of a visual image. In the fifth stanza ‘‘Cannons behind them’’ suggests that they are running away from battle and that they are cowards, yet when ‘’horses and hero fell’’ to us they are still heroes for being patriotic and fighting for us. The soldiers could be described in the poem as ‘’coming through the jaws of death’’, this is a romantic notion of war and is personification. At the end of this stanza it says ‘’ All that was left of them, Left of six hundred’’. This shows that many of them died in battle and it is a sign of death but all the violence in the piece has been missed.
In the last stanza the words ‘’honour’’ and ‘’noble’’ are used, this shows that the soldiers still have their honour and nobility for fighting even if they did die. It shows respect for them and high praise. This poem lacks the key features of injury and pain during a war and the bereft of suffering. Even though lacking these features this poem could still be a hyperbole because of the way imagery is exaggerated in this piece.
The Burial of Sir John Moore is a poem based around war and death of a comrade. It concentrates on the fact that respect is given to a fallen colleague. In the first stanza it say ‘’We buried him darkly at the dead of night’’, this shows they want to give him a respectful send off because he was a hero, a send off without fighting going on around them. The moonlight in this stanza could represent him ascending to heaven, it is a romantic notion. It is also a pathetic fallacy using the moon light. In the second stanza they don’t have a ‘’useless coffin enclosed his breast’’, this showed respect, he was valued as a soldier but they had to move on and lay him to rest where he is. God made him from the ground and that’s where he is to return. He was given his peaceful resting place at last. But a battlefield is not a peaceful place so it is a contradiction.
Him lying ‘’like a warrior to his rest’’, is cloaking death with glory, he has died but like a true warrior with his glory. They say a few prayers for him but move on and ‘’bitterly thought of the morrow’’, they think about the next day without there comrade, it is hiding a wasteful death. It was majestic. They talk about his ‘spirit that’s gone’, but this line shows true courage because he may be dead but his spirit is still with them and he will inspire them to fight.
He has been buried by his fellow countrymen, which shows patriotism – ‘where a Briton has laid him’. The last stanza is arbitrary it has the fame and glamour of war in it - the fame and glamour being glory, but at least in death he has his pride and glory left with him wherever he may be. This poem is very serious but respectful at the same time. He had a violent life so his death is a means of escaping all the violence, his comrades grief for him, this poem is quite emotional but at the same time it has the structure and respect all there and it is bonded together very well with the range of presentation.
