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The charge of the light brigade by alfred tennyson
What does alfred lord tennyson show about the power in charge of the light brigade
The charge of the light brigade by alfred tennyson
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Compare and contrast Tennyson's The Charge of the Light Brigade with
Kipling's The Last of the Light Brigade.
Tennyson and Kipling both wrote the story of the Light Brigade who
fought in the Crimean war, in the battle of Balaclava. This battle
took place between the English and the Russians in Eastern Europe on
the 25th October 1854.
Lord Alfred Tennyson wrote his poem also in 1854, just after the
battle had ended, and his aim was to build national pride in the
hearts of the English people, and to " Honour the charge they made."
Tennyson wanted to boost the moral of the English people because of
the Light Brigades defeat. Tennyson wanted to change the feeling of
defeat, to one of heroism, and to show that the Light Brigade were in
fact brave to go up against the " Jaws of death" with only "six
hundred men."
Kipling on the other hand, who wrote his poem in 1891, 37 years after
the battle had ended, saw how the Soldiers were living in poverty and
wanted to make the public feel guilty for abandoning the soldiers when
they needed support the most. Kipling wrote the poem as a response to
Tennyson's poem, and refers to Tennyson as being the "Master singer."
Kipling also tries to shed a reality on the battle, and how the
English were loyal to the soldiers when they were need, but now that
the battle is over the broken soldiers returning no longer fit the
heroic image the public hold, and so their country no longer cares. In
fact exposing the publics expressed support to be only shallow lip
service.
Tennyson wrote his poem with rigid, rhythmical, and evocative
language, and tries to glamorise the Battle, and in doing so, makes
the poem too fanciful.
While Kipling on the other hand wrote his poem using...
... middle of paper ...
...their lack of fidelity towards the soldiers.
In conclusion I personally find Kipling's poem more effective. I find
this because although Tennyson tries to make people feel a sense of
national pride, the battle took place because of an error, and they
the English people were massacred. They were brave because they knew
they were committing suicide, but they went anyway. This makes them
very brave, and quite foolish, but not heroes.
On the other hand, Kipling is angry, and disgusted with the English
people's fake loyalty because they only needed the soldier when they
were fighting, now the battle is over they are just get in the way.
Kipling sheds a reality on the lives of the soldiers now, but sets his
poem out like a story, which is very clever.
Kipling only wanted justice to be served, and for the English to see
how they had treated their "Heroes."
The first poem we are going to look at is ‘The Charge of the Light
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George Gordon Byron, better known as Lord Byron, was a leading British poet in the eighteenth century. He is well known for his influence on the Romantic Movement that originated in the eighteenth century. He is mostly known for his scandalous affairs and eccentric way of life. Lord Byron was born on January 22, 1788 to Catherine Gordon, an impoverished Scots heiress, and Captain John ("Mad Jack") Byron, a fortune-hunting widower. It wasn’t until he was 10 years old that he inherited the title of Lord Byron from his great-uncle, the "Wicked" fifth Lord Byron. The title of Lord is typically given formally to a baron in England. In 1801-1805, he attended Harrow School in London, where he experienced his first sexual encounters with males and females. It is also during this time that he fell madly in love with a distant cousin of his, Mary Chaworth. The fact that she was engaged did not deter Lord Byron as his love and passion for her made their way into his poems, "Hills of Annesley" (1805), "The Adieu" (1807), "Stanzas to a Lady on Leaving England" (1809), and "The Dream" (1816). Years later, he recounted that all his "fables about the celestial nature of women" stemmed from "the perfection" his imagination created in Mary Chaworth. Lord Byron began to attend Trinity College from October 1805 until July 1808, where he received a Master of Arts degree. During "the most romantic period of [his] life," he engaged himself with many sexual affairs and activities such as boxing, horse riding, and gambling. He was living well beyond his means and started to accumulate such a debt which haunted him for years. (Lord Byron (George Gordon) (Lord Bryon - Biography)