During the pre nineteenth century, Lord Tennyson wrote, ‘Charge of the light Brigade’, however what he wrote was restricted. This is because during this period of time, to oppose the army as considered to be slanderous in contrast to world war one, where war was being challenged by soldiers. The sudden change of people’s thoughts about war during this time allowed Wilfred Owen to write a damaging and highly influential poem against the army.
It is clear that each poem has been substantially affected by the time at which it was written, the purpose of each poem and the experience each poet had of war.
These differing opinions of war are both emulated and emphasised by six different categories; the theme, the language, the tone, the structure, the poet’s message and the form of them poem.
The form of Lord Tennyson’s, ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ is very structured and regimented. Throughout the play each stanza terminates with references or remarks on ‘the six hundred’ such as ‘rode the six hundred’, ‘Not the six hundred’, ‘Left of the six hundred’. There is solidity within the rhyming scheme and the pace of the language remains constant. This solid and regimented form creates an impression of the army as also being very structured, orderly and organised, very quick, prompt and decisive with their actions. The form of Lord Tennyson’s, ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ differs to Wilfred Owen’s ‘Dulce et decorum est’. As ‘Charge of the Light Brigade is structured with a particular rhyming scheme so is ‘Dulce et decorum est’, however, particular words and phrases are not repeated throughout the poem. In addition, the pace of the language Owen uses is continuously varied. Lethargic language such as ………………… …………………………………………………………………………., is applied. The application of assonance slows down the pace of the language and the use of commas prolongs the next word. The slow pace of the language emulates the soldier’s sluggish and slothful movement. The language therefore increases in pace when there is a sudden urgency and shouts call ‘GAS, gas quick boys!’ The language has suddenly been quickened as the soldiers have been filled with adrenaline and they have become more active and aware of their surroundings. Owen writes ‘Dulce et decorum est’ with miscellaneous use of pace incorporated within his language; the pace of his language emulates and mimics the soldiers actions and thus it becomes more affective and has a bigger impression upon the reader. In addition to variation in speed of the language employed by each poet, there is also a discrepancy in the message of each poem.
The message that Lord Tennyson conveys in ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ is full of patriotism and heroic images. It is extremely positive and praises those who wage war for their country; soldiers were described as, ‘the noble six hundred’ and the poet requested the reader to ‘honour the light brigade’ and ‘honour the charge they made’. This portrays both an encouraging and positive view of warfare. Nevertheless, Lord Tennyson wrote ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ as a memorial to the soldiers to glorify them and to initiate propaganda. This is shown at the end of the fifth stanza when he writes, ‘Left of the six hundred’. Although he establishes that some British soldiers have died, he focuses entirely on the survivors. Consequently, this is Lord Tennyson’s message, which is fighting for your country is very noble and awarding. In addition, he praises the entire platoon when he writes, ‘honour the light brigade’ and he thinks it is sweet and dutiful to die for your country. Lord Tennyson’s dutiful and patriotic interpretation of war contrasts significantly with Wilfred Owen’s ‘Dulce et decorum est’.
Wilfred Owen’s ‘Dulce et decorum est’ simply translates into ‘It is sweet to die for your country’. Ironically, the message he conveys contradicts his title for his poem implicates the harsh, violent and explosive nature of war and focuses principally on the disastrous affects of war. His message is
. His message to the reader is for them to refrain enlightening their children with the misconception of war being glorious and dutiful event. Owen attempts to persuade the reader through the extremity of violent and brutal imagery incorporated in the poem to tell their children the reality of war and the extreme consequences in holds.
Owen applies gruesome, ghastly and horrific imagery in attempt to construct an image similar to what he had experienced at war. He uses a variation of techniques to enhance and emphasis the reality of death. He describes a death and illustrates how the victim of war was,
whist floundering in a ‘green sea’. This horrendous and explicit imagery shows the brutality of war. The hard consonant sounds intensifies the atmosphere. In addition, the imagery of a man drowning and floundering in green sea is actually representing a man consumed and overwhelmed in a gas attack. All the imagery used by Owen represents the horrid and loathsome affects of war which is totally contrasting to Tennyson as he concentrates on the certain victorious aspects of the Crimiam war.
As Tennyson attempts to create propaganda he uses very positive and encouraging imagery, he carefully selects certain information and manipulates the truth to present a victorious and triumphant reflection of the disaster.