In stanza three, the Light Brigade are in the peak of battle. Repetition of “Cannon” all around them creates a picture of an ambush. In the next two lines the cannons are firing fiercely. Tennyson uses alliteration to emphasize the impact the cannons are having.
“Stormed at with shot ad shell”
The three short sharp “S’s” gives an image of thousands of cannon balls flying around at quick speed. The rhythm of the poem increases at this stage because the action has started. Tennyson repeats the word “Flashed”, this is a powerful word; we associate it with thunder and lightning. It shows us the soldiers withdrawing their swords swiftly. Again the word “Flashed” is onomatopoeic so you can hear the soldiers unsheathing. When the soldiers attack, Tennyson uses the word “Sabring”, this word is also onomatopoeic and it has a powerful effect. Sabring is a violent word and helps us to imagine swords slashing the air.
As the Light Brigade begins their attack, Tennyson feels admiration for them;
“Cossack and Russian
reeled from the saber-stroke”.
This Shows us the bravery of the soldiers, even after many have been shot, the remaining carry on fighting. Tennyson uses personification as part of his imagery:
“Into the jaws of death”.
The poet is creating an image of soldiers riding into an animal that is going to eat them alive.
At the end of stanza 4, the pace slows down because the poet is showing the end of the attack. The caesura used in the fifth and sixth stanza, helps slow down the pace. It also emphasizes the great loss of soldiers. Suddenly the cannons start firing from all around again and the pace increases
Cannon to the left of them
Cannon to the right of them
Cannon behind them.
Tennyson repeats the attack as if they were still in the midst of battle.
“Stormed at with shot and shell, as horse and hero fell”.
This shows the soldiers great loss and weariness as they exit and do not attack. Tennyson’s repetition o the attack again emphasizes the loss of men and their pride.
“All that was left of them left of six hundred”.
The first line (before the comma) makes us think about how many soldiers have died; but the slow pace and repetition shows us the pride and honour of the soldiers.
Stanza six is about the dead or alive soldiers who fought in the battle. The stanza questions their bravery, honour and pride and also how they will be remembered as patriots. The repetition of “Honour” in the last stanza, gives a strong effect resembling the sacrifice the Light Brigade had made. It demands honour from the reader.
Rhyme is used to emphasize whatever is being said:
“Forward the light brigade!
Was there a man dismayed?”
The rhetorical question and the rhyme strongly question the non-response of the soldiers. Tennyson uses irregular line lengths and a quick pace in stanza 4 to show how the Light Brigades have no control over the battle.
“Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the saber-stroke”
As you can see enjambment is also being use here, which makes the line lengths more irregular.
Tennyson uses onomatopoeia to help us hear the battle:
“Volleyed and thundered”.
This line makes us think of great explosions everywhere. By using metaphors, Tennyson emphasizes the odds of winning, the Light Brigades are going to face:
“Into the jaws of death
Into the mouth of hell.”
Finally, the poet has repeated some words in each line to strongly prove a point or create an image.
“Their’s not to make reply,
Their’s not to reason why
Their’s but to do and die.”
Here Tennyson is pointing out how each soldier is too stupid not to question the attack while they have the chance or do they have too much pride?
The first verse of “For the Fallen” shows us the bonds between England and the soldiers. Binyon has personified England as a mother to create an image of affection:
“England mourns for her dead across the sea”.
The soldiers are like her children because they were brought up in England and they were fighting for her. Repetition shows how the soldiers were part of England:
“Flesh of her flesh, they were spirit of her spirit”.
Even though England is proud of the soldiers, she also grieves for them. The second verse is about the death and respect for soldiers. Binyon makes their deaths seem honourable.
“There is music in the midst of desolation”.
The music is like the soldier spirit. To show respect towards the soldiers, Binyon has even used death to show respect. This shows that death is going to take them. Stanza three shows the courage and pride of the soldiers:
“Straight of limb,true of eye, steady and aglow.”
This makes the image of soldiers more powerful. This quote makes the soldiers seem like lions. The soldiers were willing to sacrifice themselves for their country:
“They went with songs to battle”
This shows their high spirited hope and pride. The soldiers then all die against their enemy, having bravely fought even though the odds were against them:
“They fell with their faces to the foe.”
The alliteration used gives a powerful effect; which resembles the way they fought. Stanza 4 goes on to talk about how they will be remembered forever.
“Age should not weary them nor the years condemn”.
This is a positive opinion about dying for your country.
“They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old”.
Here Binyon is saying that the people who have not died in war are the ones who are going to suffer the ravages of old age.
Stanza 5 also goes on to talk about the good things about dying:
“They have no lot in our labour of the day-time”.
This shows they don’t have to worry about earning a living and working hard. Binyon makes it sound as if they have gone to a better place:
“They sleep beyond England’s foam”.
Stanza 6 is saying that even though we would deeply want them back, they will always be remembered.
“As the stars are known to the night”.
This comparison is saying how long they will live, just like the stars in the sky.
The last stanza shows how the soldiers will be alive when we are dead:
“As the stars that will be bright when we are dust”
The brightness of stars also represents the soldiers.
“As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness.”
This shows that the soldiers will shine when we are in trouble.
Binyon uses caesura to emphasize the point he is trying to put through.
“They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old”.
This is emphasizing how we are going to get old and they are not. Binyon uses a slow pace because there is no action just feelings and opinions. The rhyme of this poem is slow, which resembles a funeral. Binyon uses free verse because it agrees with the way we feel for the soldiers. We feel honour, glory, depression and happiness in turn.
I believe, that both the poems have a true view of war. They are just told in different ways and times. Tennyson looks at the soldiers from the way they fought but Binyon looks at the soldiers as people who gave the biggest sacrifice. Either way, they both look at the soldiers as heroes who will live forever.