Question

Consider the speakers in "The Charge of the Light Brigade" and "The Battle of Blenheim."

In a response of two well-developed paragraphs, compare and contrast the speakers in these two poems. Describe them both and the effect each one has on each work, incorporating evidence from the poems as necessary to support your points.

Answer 1

In "The Charge of the Light Brigade," the speaker is a third-person narrator who describes the soldiers charging into battle. The speaker's tone is objective and detached, and the focus is on the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers. The speaker uses vivid language to create a sense of the chaos and danger of the battle, such as "Cannon to right of them, / Cannon to left of them, / Cannon in front of them / Volleyed and thundered." The effect of the speaker's objective tone is to create a sense of awe at the soldiers' courage and a sense of tragedy at the waste of human life. The poem emphasizes the power of duty and the importance of sacrifice for one's country.

In contrast, "The Battle of Blenheim" has a first-person speaker, who is a child listening to an old man's story about a battle. The speaker's tone is curious and innocent, and the focus is on the absurdity and pointlessness of war. The speaker uses simple language to convey the horror of war, such as "But what good came of it at last? / Quoth little Peterkin. / Why that I cannot tell, said he, / But 'twas a famous victory." The effect of the speaker's innocent tone is to highlight the foolishness of war and the way that it is often glorified despite its terrible costs. The poem emphasizes the need for people to question the wisdom of those in power and to resist the lure of glory and conquest.

In summary, while both "The Charge of the Light Brigade" and "The Battle of Blenheim" deal with war, they have different speakers and tones. "The Charge of the Light Brigade" has an objective, third-person speaker who emphasizes the bravery and sacrifice of soldiers, while "The Battle of Blenheim" has an innocent, first-person speaker who questions the wisdom and value of war. These different approaches to war result in different effects on the reader, with the former emphasizing the power of duty and sacrifice, and the latter emphasizing the need for critical thinking and resistance to the lure of war.

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson and "The Battle of Blenheim" by Robert Southey are both poems that describe battles, but the speakers in each poem have different roles and perspectives. In "The Charge of the Light Brigade," the speaker is a third-person observer who narrates the events of the battle. The speaker is neutral and objective, describing the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers without expressing any personal feelings or opinions. The effect of this neutral perspective is to emphasize the heroism of the soldiers and to create a sense of awe and respect for their actions. For example, when the speaker describes the soldiers riding "into the valley of Death," there is a sense of the soldiers' courage and selflessness in the face of danger.

In contrast, the speaker in "The Battle of Blenheim" is a first-person narrator who describes the battle from his own perspective. The speaker is an old man who witnessed the battle as a child and reflects on its aftermath. The effect of this personal perspective is to critique the glorification of war and to highlight the senselessness of violence. For example, the speaker describes the battle as "a famous victory" but notes that "nobody remembers it now." The use of irony in this description creates a sense of the futility of war and the way that history can forget the real cost of violence. Overall, the speaker in "The Battle of Blenheim" challenges the idea of war as heroic and instead emphasizes its destructive consequences.

In conclusion, while both "The Charge of the Light Brigade" and "The Battle of Blenheim" describe battles, the speakers in each poem have different perspectives and effects. The speaker in "The Charge of the Light Brigade" is neutral and objective, emphasizing the heroism of the soldiers, while the speaker in "The Battle of Blenheim" is personal and critical, challenging the idea of war as heroic and highlighting its destructive consequences.