COTLB AND BC

• What poem is compared to Bayonet Charge?


  Charge of the Light Brigade
• How are the poems similar?

  • both poems study theme of patriotism
  • BC emphasises struggle between man’s patriotic thoughts and regular actions
  • COTLB celebrates men’s strong idea of patriotism
• BC quotes

  “cold clockwork of the stars and the nations”

  “King, honour, human dignity etc dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm”

  ”patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest”
• BC structure

  • poem starts with in media res to convey shock and pace
  • second stanza, time stands still, convey soldiers bewilderment and reflective thoughts
  • contrasts visual and aural imagery of battle with internal thoughts of soldier to add to confusion
• BC context

  • draws contrast between idealism of patriotism and reality of fighting and killing
  • influenced by father which links to first point
• COTLB quotes

  • “into the Jaws of Death, into the mouth of Hell”
  • “shot and shell’
  • “cannon”
• COTLB structure

  • each stanza represents 100 of men
  • first stanza is tightly structured mirroring calvary
  • then becomes awkward to reflect chaos of battle and reduced number of men returning alive
• COTLB context

  • Tennyson was poet laureate, having to put positive spin
  • eulogises men and commends them
• Into jaws of Death into mouth of Hell

  • metaphor personifies death as the enemy, showing willingness to do duty - bravery and valour - may also argue ridiculous idea of running into death
  • animalistic imagery of jaws, consuming victims
  • Hell is reality for soldiers
• cannon

  • repetition traps reader like soldiers were trapped to show dedication and bravery
• shot and shell

  sibilance reflects difficulty of war and mimics shooting sounds of battle
• King, honour, dignity etc

  • disillusioned with traditional propaganda and uses etc to dimiss them
  • simile emphasised how there is no dignity in war just suffering
  • carries them metaphorically
  • imagery of dropping away reasons to fight
• patriotic tear had brimmed in his eye sweating like molten iron

  • molten iron burns like patriotism
  • marks moment he loses faith in patriotic message of war
  • weights heavy on heart (centre) and adds to burning sensation
• suddenly

  • reflects fast pace of war and unprepared soldiers
  • running raw emphasise exposure