Anaphora And Diction In Charge Of The Light Brigade

Through anaphora and diction he uses in the poem “Charge of the Light Brigade”, Tennyson conveys how even needless death for a cause can hold honor. In reference to the soldiers in his narrative poem, Tennyson repeats, “six hundred” throughout various stanzas but what’s most important about the anaphora he uses is the change of diction before every phrase. In the end of the first two stanzas, he says, “Into the valley of Death / Rode the six hundred” but as the battle progresses, this line changes to, “Then they rode back, but not / not the six hundred” (37-38) and, “All that was left of them, / Left of six hundred” (48-49). At the end of the poem, Tennyson manipulates the anaphora once more, saying, “Noble six hundred” (55).. The significance

of the soldiers is shown throughout the entire poem by the anaphora and the variety of ways it’s used. Tennyson is highlighting the esteem they deserve after riding into battle and sacrificing their lives for their cause.

Reflecting the progress of the battle to the reader, it also shows the honor that the soldiers possessed. At the end of each stanza, he is reinforcing the point that the soldiers fought, that the soldiers died, and because of their sacrifice, the soldiers became heroes. Another case that Tennyson emphasizes this point is when he is describing the battle: “Boldly they rode and well, / Into the jaws of Death,”(23-24). Tennyson’s pattern so far has been to capitalize every beginning to a new word, but in these few lines he changes that and capitalizes the word “Death”. This not only draws attention to that word but gives death more meaning throughout the poem. Tennyson describes the soldiers as riding to their death, but doing it with courage. Though they had faced death and sacrificed themselves because of a mistake of a superior officer, they had still fought to the best of their ability. Their death inspires courage in others and their sense of duty makes their sacrifice deserving of honor and

nobility.

Through the extended metaphor of going out to sea in the poem ‘Crossing the Bar’, Tennyson conveys how he wants his death to be celebrated when he departs. The poem begins by describing the end of a day, “Sunset and evening star” (1). Using the day's end as a representation for the end of Tennyson’s life. When he wrote this poem, Tennyson was facing his final days and used this poem to convey his wish that his friends don’t mourn his passing, but instead remember his life happily. Then, elaborating on the metaphor, he goes on to say, “may there be no moaning of the bar/ When I put out to sea” (3-4). Using the bar as an image that represents his family and friends at his funeral, Tennyson personifies it, representing the notion of friends weeping as he departs which in turn highlights the metaphor that he doesn't want his friends to mourn his death. Reinforcing this point, Tennyson says,” And may there be no sadness of farewell/ when I embark” (11-12). This time, he makes a more direct request for his friends to not mourn his passing. The narrator embarking symbolizes Tennyson’s death. He wishes that when he passes and when he’s laid to rest, rather than remember him with sadness, his friends remember and celebrate his life. To wrap up his message to his loved ones, he finishes saying, “I hope to see my Pilot face to face/ When I have crost the bar” (15-16). Tennyson expresses that he still has hopes for the future, and how even after death his dreams and goals still live on through those he leaves behind. He uses the symbol of a pilot from his sailing metaphor to symbolize God. These last few lines are supposed to give his friends peace with the knowledge that though he may have past from the living world, he perceives it instead as the opportunity to move on and experience something new.

In the poem “A Farewell”, Tennyson uses allegory and anaphora to describe how life carries on after someone dies. The poem begins with the narrator describing a rivulet, or small stream, that’s flowing out to the sea. Then, he introduces his message by saying, “No more by thee my steps shall be, / For ever and for ever” (3-4). Though not specified why, the narrator is unable to visit the rivulet again, he won’t be able to enjoy what it has to offer. Abstractly, these two lines are implying the narrator’s upcoming death. But the last line, “For ever and for ever” reflect the rivulet immortality. While the poet’s life is likely to end soon, the rivulet will always be flowing down to sea. As the poem continues, the narrator continues to describe nature:

But here will sigh thine alder tree

And here thine aspen shiver;

And here by thee will hum the bee

For ever and for ever. (9-12)

The narrator gives multiple examples of nature around the rivulet that he is noticing. By repeating the phrase ‘For ever and for ever’, Tennyson implies again immortality but this time pertaining to the all of nature not just the river. It reflects again how world seems to work and act and live as time flows without being affected by it. But as Tennyson wraps up the poem, the narrator says, “But not by thee my steps shall be, / For ever and for ever” (15-16). The anaphora of the line ‘For ever and for ever’, have implied immortality throughout the poem depicting the rivulet and nature living on throughout time, but line 15 and the anaphoric phrase combined together reintroduce and strengthen Tennyson’s message. Finally, he wraps up the poem by describing how the narrator dies but even so the rivulet and nature around it still continue as before. Tennyson uses this to imply to the reader through allegory that though someone may die, life still continues on around just as before; though life is mortal, the world is eternal and death won’t stop it from moving forward.

Through the use of imagery in the poem “Break, Break, Break”, Tennyson expresses his grief for his deceased friend. In the first stanza, the narrator says, “And I would that my tongue could utter / The thoughts that arise in me” (3-4). As he stands on the shore, looking out to the ocean, his grief is prohibiting him to speak though he wishes to express his thoughts and emotions. In the second stanza, the narrator describes the happiness of those around him: a fisherman’s kid, “shouts with his sister at play” (6) and a sailor singing in the bay. Though the narrator seems passive and accepting of the cheerfulness around him, it's very clear that he is separated and distant from everyone else. It isn't until the third stanza that the narrator begins to explain why he is grieving. On lines 11 and 12, “But O for the touch of a vanish’d hand, / And the sound of a voice that is still!” the narrator reveals that he is grieving for a loved one that is now dead. The first two stanzas describe how the narrator is aware that the world is moving and flowing around him and the people are still living happily. But as soon as he reveals why he is grieving, the imagery Tennyson uses in the beginning stanzas highlight that the narrator’s thoughts are not on the world around him but on the grief he feels for his deceased friend. To finish the poem, the narrator says, “But the tender grace of a days that is dead / Will never come back to me” (15-16). These last two lines highlight how the past when his friend was alive will never return. But it also reflects how time has passed and the narrator is starting to accept that his friend is gone. He realises that he will have to move on with the world around him.

Alfred Tennyson was born in England, August 6, 1809 as the third son of a still growing family.

As a boy he had received a basic education at a small grammar school before being schooled in full by his father. At even a young age Tennyson loved to read and write it did not take him long to discover his love of poetry. Tennyson also went on to attend Trinity College, which is where he met Arthur Hallam. Arthur went on to become Tennyson’s closest and most trusted friend. It was at this time he began to publish his own poetry. However not long after in 1831 his father died which caused his family to be thrown into financial difficulties, and as a result he was not able to finish his degree. However, the family loss that he suffered the most from was the loss of three of his younger brothers to mental institution. Yet still troubles plagued him when two years later in 1833 Hallam died from a stroke. The losses Tennyson endured were the chief reason why so much of his poetry revolves around his take on death and loss. Perhaps the most famous example of which is the volume of poems titled “In Memoriam” which was published in 1850 which encompassed Tennyson’s sorrow at the loss of his friend. As time went on his poetry became increasingly well known and appreciated, as a result he became incredibly wealthy and was able to marry Emily Sherwood in the the same year “In Memoriam” was published. His talent with the pen even went as far as to put him on friendly terms with Queen

Victoria who later made him Lord Alfred Tennyson. He became the father of two sons, Hallam and Lionel. However, yet another loss besieged him; at the age of four in 1886, Lionel became ill and died. Tennyson was devastated at the loss of his son and published yet another volume named “Demeter and Other Poems” in 1889 to express that loss. Only three years later Tennyson died from a disease known as gout, he was buried in Westminster Abbey. He was one of the greatest poets of the time, his poetry lives on today as do his messages of death, grief and loss.