Comparing Dulce Et Decorum Est And The Charge Of The Light Brigade
English Literature-Poetry and Drama
Look at the way conflict is presented in the section of verse you have studied
The poem by Wilfred Owen “Dulce et Decorum Est” was written by the poet after his first hand experience of the trenches during WWI, and gives us a small insight to what life in the trenches, during war, was actually like. It gives us a very negative horrific view of war, and is definitely a very anti-war poem. The poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Alfred Lord Tennyson however, is very pro-war with far more focus being put on the heroism and bravery of the men at war, rather than the death and horror of war, and as a result, gives us an almost romantic view of war. “The soldier” by Rupert Brooke also gives us a similar …show more content…
He is critical of the 'high zest', or great enthusiasm, used to convince men to go to war. He sees war as brutal and wasteful of young lives. His choice of the word 'children' is also significant; impressionable young men are almost lured to war by the promise of 'desperate glory'.
However as a stark contrast, Tennyson's poem praises the Brigade, for their nobility and heroism for riding into “the valley of death” even though they knew their fate, and knew they were going to die. The line "When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made!", while subtly mourning the appalling futility of the charge: "Not tho' the soldier knew, someone had blunder'd…” he is making their loss of life, as it was in service of their country, a glorious thing, which is indeed the exact opposite of the views put forward by Owen in “Dulce et Decorum Est”
While Tennyson knew of the evils of war yet chose not to express them in his poem so that he could portray a patriotic feeling, the poem conveys not only that war is a natural part of human life, but also that the bravery demonstrated by the unquestioned loyalty of the British soldiers should be celebrated, Whitman’s Drum-Taps portray war as an unnatural, disruptive force that robs human beings of their natural desire to live a peaceful
Look at the way conflict is presented in the section of verse you have studied
The poem by Wilfred Owen “Dulce et Decorum Est” was written by the poet after his first hand experience of the trenches during WWI, and gives us a small insight to what life in the trenches, during war, was actually like. It gives us a very negative horrific view of war, and is definitely a very anti-war poem. The poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Alfred Lord Tennyson however, is very pro-war with far more focus being put on the heroism and bravery of the men at war, rather than the death and horror of war, and as a result, gives us an almost romantic view of war. “The soldier” by Rupert Brooke also gives us a similar …show more content…
He is critical of the 'high zest', or great enthusiasm, used to convince men to go to war. He sees war as brutal and wasteful of young lives. His choice of the word 'children' is also significant; impressionable young men are almost lured to war by the promise of 'desperate glory'.
However as a stark contrast, Tennyson's poem praises the Brigade, for their nobility and heroism for riding into “the valley of death” even though they knew their fate, and knew they were going to die. The line "When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made!", while subtly mourning the appalling futility of the charge: "Not tho' the soldier knew, someone had blunder'd…” he is making their loss of life, as it was in service of their country, a glorious thing, which is indeed the exact opposite of the views put forward by Owen in “Dulce et Decorum Est”
While Tennyson knew of the evils of war yet chose not to express them in his poem so that he could portray a patriotic feeling, the poem conveys not only that war is a natural part of human life, but also that the bravery demonstrated by the unquestioned loyalty of the British soldiers should be celebrated, Whitman’s Drum-Taps portray war as an unnatural, disruptive force that robs human beings of their natural desire to live a peaceful