Final answer:
Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade" uses rhythm and variable line lengths to reflect the action of battle, whereas Byron's "The Destruction of Sennacherib" uses a consistent rhyme and meter to recount historical events in an orderly narrative form. Both poems strategically use structure to enhance their subject matter’s portrayal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The poets of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and "The Destruction of Sennacherib" by Lord Byron used the structural elements of their poems to capture and reflect the dynamism or stasis in their subject matter. Tennyson’s poem, with its dactylic dimeter rhythm of "Half a league, half a league, half a league onward," mimics the thunderous gallop of horse hooves, effectively conveying the action of the cavalry charge. This rhythm creates a sense of urgency and movement, placing the reader in the midst of battle. In contrast, "The Destruction of Sennacherib" employs a regular anapestic tetrameter that flows rhythmically, which, while still dynamic, has a storytelling quality that recounts past events with a strong narrative drive.
Furthermore, Tennyson’s use of repetition and variation in line lengths accentuates the forward momentum and chaos of battle. By contrast, Byron’s more uniform stanza structure and consistent rhyme scheme impose order on the portrayal of action, reflecting the historical narrative quality of his poem. Both poems make decisions about word placement, line beginnings, and line endings for maximum effect.
Dramatic principles guide the structure and progression of both poems, from initiating action through to a conclusion, creating a sense of completeness in the depiction of their respective events. In terms of poetic symbols, Tennyson focusses on the martial elements, while Byron’s poem is replete with imagery supporting the theme of divine retribution. These structural elements work in tandem with rhyme, rhythm, and imagery to convey the themes and actions within the poems effectively.