After my last post on Wilfred Owen's anti-war position, and Rupert Brooke's pro-war position on World War I, I decided to go back and reread Tennyson's The Charge of the Light Brigade. Although Tennyson doesn't actually come out and say it, I think that he was in favor of the Crimean War effort and was cheering on the cause.
The Charge of the Light Brigade is the true story of a brigade of 600 British cavalry who were ordered to charge against Russian artillery forces into the “valley of Death” (pg. 615). Although the soldiers knew that “Some one had blunder’d” and that they would not be able take the enemy, they bravely complied with the order and did not question it. “Their’s not to make reply, Their’s not to reason why, Their’s but to do and die.”
The soldiers were besieged by cannon fire from all directions, but they courageously pushed forward “Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell.” They charged through the smoke of the cannons, through the enemy line, drew their swords, and attacked the Cossack and Russian enemy gunners. Then they rode back, but there were no longer 600 of them as many had been killed in the assault. Cannon fire came from behind them and on both sides of them. Many more soldiers and horses fell during the second barrage of shots and shells. The selfless and heroic few that made it back alive had completed their mission.
Tennyson repeats words to produce the feeling of the unyielding assault. “Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them” and “Flash’d all their sabers bare, Flash’d as they turn’d in air.” Other words add to the dramatic effect such as “storm’d,” “plunged,” “reel’d,” “shatter’d,” such that you can feel the action as you read. In this way, it is similar to the first section of Owen’s Anthem for Doomed Youth.
The last stanza states that all the world marveled at their courage. Their valiant efforts should never be forgotten and they should always be honored. I believe Tennyson felt that the war was justified and, even under incompetent command, the brave men of the British cavalry deserve to be regarded with the utmost respect.
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4 comments:
Hi Brenda,
I think you taken an excellent view of the Light Brigade. I really enjoyed this poem myself and loved that Tennyson wanted to carry on the memory of those who had fallen. I read and compared the WWI poems as well and I can see the similarities to Tennyson's poem you point out in the opposing efforts. I am newly eager to read what poetry there may be on the current and recently passed wars. I think it would be interesting to read something that I have experienced in such a grave category.
Brenda,
Very good idea to revisit Tennyson's war poem in the hindsight of Owen and Brooke. Good observations on the different components and perspectives of these war poems.
" . . . Their’s not to reason why, Their’s but to do and die.”
You know, I've heard this phrase many times in my life, but if I knew where it came from, I had forgotten....here's hoping I won't forget next time.
And of course, “Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them” must surely have influenced the writing of Marty Robbins, El Paso (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Paso_(song) which says in part:
"Off to my right I see five mounted cowboys
Off to my left are a dozen and more . . .
I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle
I feel the bullet go deep in my chest"
I hadn't thought about that song in years until I read this poem. I didn't use this poem for my blog on Tennyson...so thanks for reminding me of this again!
"Their’s not to reason why, Their’s but to do and die.” I think this speaks volumes about our situation today. Obviously a soldier's responsibility is to follow orders, but I have to wonder how good of a notion this is. I know in certain circumstances the best way for them to survive is to just follow orders, but I also can't tell you how many Nazis tried to justify their actions by saying they were just following orders, so it is definitely a double-edged sword. And I think today it is especially poignant because many soldiers may not agree with why they're in Iraq, but they are their nonetheless following orders. The remaining question however will be be, as it always is, will the end justify the means?
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