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Introduction

A Comparison of Poems The Charge of the light brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson, "The destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord Byron, The Drum by Lord John Scott. "The Charge of the Light Brigade" was written before the 19th century and gave the poets view of war. Sometimes the poets have slightly different opinions but overall they are quite similar. The poem "The Charge of the light brigade" was written to memorialize a suicidal charge by light cavalry over open terrain by British forces in the Crimean War. The War was also significant as an early example of work of modern war correspondents. This poem is very effective. It engages you in the first with and opening: "Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward," This reflects the galloping of horses at battle and creates an insistent rhythm. At the end of every verse there is the repetition of one sentence "rode the six hundred". It uses direct speech from the commander '"Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns" He said' In the second verse he uses the phrase "Someone had blundered". It shows the brave soldiers, who follow orders, charge the guns knowing that someone has made a mistake; the poem blames the officers and not the soldiers. The poem has to honour them because he is the Poet Laureate, but he doesn't honour the men who gave the orders. ...read more.

Middle

I think it does deserve a place in a collection dedicated to war poetry because it portrays heroes of war and the fears of war, which I believe are the main themes of war. Tennyson's view of war is an honourable one. I think he believes men who have fought and died in wars should never be forgotten because they have died so their children and wives can live. This view is probably a very common view in his generation in which you are expected if you are between the ages of eighteen and forty to go and fight for your country. "The Destruction of Sennacherib" poem tells the story of the powerful army of Assyria who died in their sleeps just before they were going to invade the town of Galilee and destroy the palace of Sennacherib. The most peculiar aspect of the story is how the great army of thousands of Assyrians died and remains a mystery. Lord Byron wrote a poem about the lost palace of Sennacherib and it was published in 1815. The two poets, Lord Alfred Tennyson and Lord Byron have similarities and contrasts in their attitudes to war as shown in their poems, The Charge of the Light Brigade, and The Destruction of Sennacherib. As a theme was shown in Tennyson's poem of heroism, the Destruction of Sennacherib has the theme of power. ...read more.

Conclusion

"The lances uplifted, the trumpet unblown" this quote is from the Destruction of Sennacherib. The trumpet was unblown because the order to advance was never made. There is a contrast between the celebrations to the soldiers from the Charge of the Light Brigade for battling heroically, "Honour the charge they made" and the sorrows from the people of Ashur (an ancient city of Assyria) because of all the men dead before the battle took place, "Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord" most people believed the army died from the praying to the god of the town of Galilee which was where the army was planning to invade. This quote means the soldiers died as the god looked upon them. In my personal opinion, both of these poems deserve a place in war poetry because of their accuracy in their relation of events and their common war themes such as death and sorrow. I do like how the Charge of the Light Brigade is so fast paced and full of short and bright verses to symbolise the glorious outcome, although Tennyson makes clear their sacrifice was avoidable and pointless, where as the Destruction of Sennacherib has long and descriptive lines making it sound more melancholy. Lord Byron also writes of pointless avoidable sacrifice as Sennacherib's army is killed as they sleep, but the outcome is not depicted as glorious, but simply as tragic. ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE War Poetry section.