This image is of Henry’s Saint Crispin’s day speech with Henry standing above his soldiers who are gathered around him in their war attire with swords and other weapons listening attentively to his words encouragement. These excerpts are significant to the play’s characters because without this speech there is no telling how Henry’s soldiers would have done in battle or what the outcome of the Battle of Agincourt would have been. These quotations demonstrate Henry’s ability to persuade others and what he is like as a leader. Before his Saint Crispin’s day speech, the soldiers were worried about going into battle and were quite afraid, but through his compelling diction Henry succeeded in raising the morale of his soldiers therefore boosting…
On the other hand, the poem ‘The Send- Off’ written by Wilfred Owen was set in World War I and is about the departure of soldiers to war. This poem is similar to The Shoe-Horn Sonata as it reflects a shameful image of the operation of war as ‘too few’ will return. Through the use of visual and aural imagery, Owen is able to depict the excited and anxious anticipation of the soldiers at the beginning of the poem through the use of the oxymoron ‘faces grimly gay’. Through the use of juxtaposition, Owen portrays society’s disapproval of sending men off to war to their pointless death; “so secretly, like wrongs hushed up”…
Throughout the play, Henry effectively displays his authority through the many stimulating and patriotically spoken speeches aimed at encouraging and lifting the spirits of his men. Henry especially exemplifies his authority outside the walls of Harfleur where he arouses courage and patriotism through referring to his men as the “noble English” and describing them with the classical allusions of “Fathers that like so many Alexanders”. The continuous deliverance of inspiring words is also reflected through his “Crispan Crispian” speech where strong use of rhetoric language, like in “And if to live/The fewer men, the greater share of honour”, help instil the sense of the honour of war in his men. Similarly, this effect was heightened through the repetition of the word “Crispian” throughout the speech. Yet, Henry speeches also have a powerful sense of rhythm and momentum which when combined with an honest tone makes him appeal and have a stronger influence on his men. He equates himself to the standard of the men, calling themselves “we band of brothers” which helps enhance the influence of his authority. The persona of Dawes ‘Weapons Training’, a sergeant major, also achieves a similar effect through the effective use of colloquial language and slang. In the context of the Vietnam War, his uses of jargon like “fish – sauce breath” and “Charlies” help establish the environment and also assist him in relating to his men more. Unlike Henry, his tone is aggressive and he speaks in an insulting and directing manner, warning them of the consequences. Although it appears to be a stark contrast to Henry’s speeches in terms of the purpose, they are not as he speaks with an undercurrent of compassion and care to his men. His care for them is just spoken in a different style to that of Henry. Combined with the powerful…
He used these rhetorical devices to persuade these people, by, basically, outsmarting them. Henry single handedly put this speech together to bottle the minds of everyone listening, and gave them a brand new idea. He didn’t have to do anything outrageous to get the idea across, the devices of this speech made an appeal to all of these people, and also made them questions themselves. But, the overall impact on the audience was making them come to the conclusion that they have to go to war. Henry may not have been the smartest person in there,but he certainly outsmarted them in his…
In the poem “The Things They Carried” the author uses imagery to show that not everyone wanted to be in that war. The only reason soldiers went was so that they wouldn’t feel like cowards for not going. For example where it says, “they died so not to die of embarrassment” it shows that the only reason they ever went was to not feel weak. They also felt that if they didn't end up…
When Henry says “listen to that song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts”. He is using a mythical allusion. He metaphorically comparing how the British are saying things to the colonist which are promising false hopes. This creates an emotional argument. Also when Henry said “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience.” Henry he is metaphorically calling experience a lamp. He says that experience will “light” the way for the future. There is a Biblical allusion here to the scripture which says the God’s word is a “lamp unto thy feet and a light unto thy path.” This is an appeal to emotion because it is involving God and religion. Henry also uses a lot of rhetorical questions that are followed up by a declarative sentence answering the question. He uses this rhetorical device to emphasize the military producers which the British are taking. This also creates an appeal to emotion because, it causes fear in the colonists. When Henry says, “They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other.” He uses a balanced sentence with parallel independent clauses which repeat the same point. This again, emphasizes the military producers.…
Both poets use imagery in order for their thoughts and feelings to be portrayed; this shows what the leaders did to the soldiers during the war. In The Charge of the Light Brigade Alfred Tennyson personifies death and hell into some sort of monsters that the soldiers can’t escape from because they had ‘jaws of death’ and a ‘mouth of hell’. This shows the reader that the soldiers were seen as not having a chance from the very start and that maybe they were pushed into serving for their country by their s called leaders because they felt as though they needed to do what they thought was right when really it wasn’t right at all. Both the words ‘death’ and ‘hell’ bring emotions to the readers that are unnatural and not expected, it shows us that the poet wanted the reader to see what war does to a person and that the only option is death which shows that not much thought goes into how loved one and families will cope after the tragedy’s because the leaders failed to think about anybody else but them concluding in them putting their selves before others letting them get hurt. we also see that Alfred Tennyson wanted to show the reader what these heroes went through and what they had to suffered each and everyday due to their leaders telling them to go forward and fight, he does this by describing how…
The two poems, “To Lucasta, going to the Wars” by Richard Lovelace and “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen are both devoted to the subject of war. Lovelace’s poem was written in the 17th century and as well as almost all the poetry of the period has romantic diction. The war is shown as something truly worthwhile, glossed and honorable for a man. The protagonist is leaving his beloved for the battlefield and his tone is pathetic and solemn. He calls the war his new mistress and asks his beloved woman not to be jealous as love to her is impossible for him without honor. In this way the overall mood of the poem is idealistic and heroic. The protagonist refers to war as a thrilling adventure and even affection. The tone of the Owen’s poem written under the impact of the World War I is of another kind. It has no trace of glory and devotion. On the contrary, Owen’s aim was to dispel that image of war, to show it as something horrifying and dehumanizing by means of vivid depiction of all the gruesome atrocities, to reflect disillusionment and disgust of war. That’s why the author sets the scene of ghastly battlefield and starkly describes a man perishing from intoxication with gas. The tone is sorrowful and passionate and makes the reader feel empathy with the warriors. The style can be also described with profound depth of emotion.…
The poem centres on Wilfred Owen in a biographical manner. It talks about his experience of watching a man being killed by gas and his personal thoughts as to why he was killed. It seems directed at the reader of the poem but the anger throughout the poem is actually directed at the generals and the government for hiding the horrors of war from the general public and claiming it to be a victory.…
used rhetorical questions such as, “May it not also be that the cause of civilization itself will be defended by the skill and devotion of a few thousand airmen?” to give his audience the impression of the huge despair they are in. Churchill managed to use a couple of metaphor as, “storm of war” which resembles a normal storm to be war. Another example is “grip of the Gestapo” where the Gestapo were Hitler’s secret police and they captured anyone who was against Hitler so this metaphor resembles the enemy as the Hitler’s secret police. Alliteration as a whole causes a musical harmony such as, “flag or fail” and “subjugated and starving”. Now onto the last thing in “We shall fight on the beaches” is assonance. Assonance is the repetition of…
By knowing he faces extreme opposition of wanting to fight, Patrick Henry makes it evident that the war against Britain is completely inevitable. Because the people had such a narrow mindset, Henry knew it highly important to first gain respect from the people, if he wanted even the slightest chance of them listening to him. “No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as the abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House.” This beginning sentence establishes his credability rather quickly, and makes him a more worthy contender to listen to. Henry begins the second paragraph of his speech discussing the illusions of hope. He is trying to act as a teacher of truth, but also a bearer of bad news. He recognizes that man dreams of freedom without fighting, but then refutes this idea. The word, “illusion” proves that it cannot be a reality. Patrick Henry also quotes, “…and listen to the song of the sirens that transforms us into beasts,” making an allusion a highly popular book of the time, The Odyssey. By making the reference, it reminds the people that he really is just another…
Whereas Henry’s comparing of the enemy to a machine brimmed with admiration, the same traits applied to the people around him became less than understandable. Rather than admire the effectiveness when they became ‘Machine-like’, Henry regarded his comrades as ‘fools’, and ‘methodical idiots’(Crane 48). Henry’s confusion toward war intensifies when he sees the people stood around him--not just the enemy-- acting like unemotional, unyielding machines; a stark contrast to the overwhelming rush of emotions he feels in the same situation. Whereas Henry (a relatively new soldier) acts in the interest of self preservation, more experienced members of his regiment seem numb to the trials of war. Yet (without his knowledge) Henry too slowly becomes less human and more mechanical throughout the battle. Although he can still feel the fears of battle, his actions become instinct. For example he ‘[works] at his weapon like an automatic affair’ (Crane 38). Despite the fact he has no idea what to do most of the time, Henry acts like the monstrous machine he sees in the people around him. Henry has begun to transition into one of the cold, emotionless killing machines that confuse…
The horrific conditions and extraordinary experiences in which the men had to endure were unimaginable to any human who has not experienced it firsthand. We grasp a sense of the war participant’s vile experiences and physical demands through his extensive use of vivid imagery in Dulce et Decorum Est. “An ecstasy of fumbling”, “clumsy… stumbling…floundering”, Owen uses these powerful adverbs to highlight the frantic and stressful situation which arises as a result of a gas attack, an extraordinary experience to any normal being. These adverbs encourage the reader to read at a faster pace, generating a connection to the urgency of the situation. “Gas! GAS! Quick boys” generates a strong sense of immediacy and a fast pace to the stanza. The gas attack gives the reader a clear insight into the treacherous experiences surrounding these men. We empathise with the gas attack victim and its witnesses as a result of the metaphor “us under a green sea, I saw him drowning”. This shows us how the gas engulfs the men and causes great struggle. “Guttering, choking, drowning”, the description of the dying, suffering man is written in a dispassionate manner suggesting that this became a part of everyday life in the war. We learn that war, particularly through Wilfred Owen’s eyes, is dehumanising and immoral. “Bent double, like old beggars” opens this text in a negative tone. “Knock-kneed, coughing like hags” reinforces the poor state of the men; these similes compare these once bright young men to “old hags” and…
The poem Dulce et Decorum Est describes the chaos and torment that soldiers experience using powerful metaphors and similes. Owen uses descriptive similes to show the poor condition the soldiers are in. When Owen is describing their situation, he writes that they are “coughing like hags” (2). When he compares the soldiers to poor and unclean women, he demonstrates how wretched the men are, contrary to the idea that soldiers are strong and healthy. Next, Owen is creating a scene where one of the men is caught in the mustard gas, without a mask. He says that his actions were “like a man in fire or lime” (12). Both lime and fire cause a burning sensation on human skin, so the man must be in a great amount of pain and agony. Wilfred Owen also uses strong metaphors to paint a picture of suffering. When he is describing the condition of the soldiers, he also uses the metaphor “drunk with fatigue” (14). This comparison is able to portray to the reader that the men are so tired and worn out that they are controlled by it. Everything they do, they do it with a sense of slowness and absent mindedness. Lastly, when Owen is writing about the man in the gas, he says that “I saw him drowning” (14). His fellow soldier wasn’t actually drowning in water, but he was rather being consumed by death. The author cleverly uses this metaphor to depict a scene of torment in the reader’s…
Owen's war poetry is a passionate expression of outrage at the horrors of war and of pity for the young soldiers sacrificed in it. It is dramatic and memorable, whether describing physical horror, such as in‘ Dulce et Decorum Est’ or the unseen, mental torment such as in‘ Disabled’. His diverse use of instantly understandable imagery and technique is what makes him the most memorable of the war poets. His poetry evokes more from us than simple disgust and sympathy; issues previously unconsidered are brought to our attention. One of Owen’s talents is to convey his complex messages very proficiently. In‘ Dulce et Decorum Est’–‘ If in some smothering dreams you too could pace / Behind the wagon that we flung him in’ the horror of witnessing this event becomes eternal through dreams. Though this boy died an innocent, war allowed no time to give his death dignity, which makes the horror so more poignant and haunting. This is touched on in‘ Mental Cases’–‘ Treading blood from lungs that had loved laughter / Always they must see these things and hear them’. Many of the sights which will haunt the surviving soldiers are not what the officials have ordered them to do, but what they have done to save their own lives. It is the tragedy of war that you are not able to stop to help a dying man. They then, not only physically scarred and mentally changed, carry remedyless guilt with them. They have survived, at the expense of others–‘ Why speak not they of comrades that went under?’ (‘Spring Offensive’). Another dimension is that even the enemy soldiers are just like them, it is the politicians and generals who have caused this war, not these ordinary men. This is explored in‘ Strange Meeting’ - the meeting of an enemy who is really a‘ friend’.…