Why is the falling rhythm of the pattern that starts with a stressed syllable, followed by two unstressed syllables, appropriate for "The Charge of the Light Brigade."?
Answers
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Explanation:
The poem has six different-length stanzas. The meter is dactylic, which means two unstressed syllables accompany one stressed syllable. It gives the impression of galloping confidently, or thundering like a drum. “Anaphora is often used (repetition of the same word at the beginning of several lines)”, which here provides the impression of the attack faced by the troops, and which usually intensifies the scene's emotions. The rhymes often appear to intensify the emotion and imply that the situation is imminent rather than anything like an unrhymed free verse that would have evoked pure confusion.
The reasons for the contemporary success of the poem should be obvious as it is such a stirring tale of bravery under fire, of resilience against daunting odds, of the English military's might. The photos of Tennyson are powerful; he creates a scene of confusion and devastation with thundering cannons, and falling shells. The men ride "boldly" and fought well in the war, which is their burial ground in the "valley of Death."