Analysis of Alfred Tennyson's Work - Essay Example

Poetry Analysis Alfred Tennyson is an English poet who was born on 1809 in Sommersby England. He was born during the beginning of the French Revolution and at the last part of the Napoleonic Wars. Alfred demonstrated a love for poetry at an early age. He began achieving critical success in poetry around 1842 with the publication of various lyrics on philosophical and mythical subjects. Later in life, his poetry began following a narrative form rather than the usual lyrical style. This was a result of the emergence of the novel as a popular literary form. Not only did he later write verses on dramatic fiction, but also on the current political issues. For instance, his poem, The Change of the Light Brigade, gives a description of the catastrophic battle of the Crimean War while at the same time praising the bravery of British soldiers involved (Tennyson, 2000: 302). The Change of the Light Brigade is a poem that consists of six stanzas, which vary in length from between six and twelve lines. Like all other poets Alfred Tennyson employs prosodic features, repetition, different sound patterns, and various figures of speech in his attempt to communicate the meaning. For instance, use of figurative language and imagery creates an exhilaration tone, while at the same time honoring the admirable qualities of the Light Brigade. Critics have argued that Tennyson is not only a literary poet, but also a poet of the people, plumbing into the depths of his giving voice to the consciousness of the nation (Tennyson, 2000: 302). Throughout most of his poems, Tennyson shows a deep commitment to the reformation of the society and an interest in its development. The poem narrates the story of a brigade made up of 600 soldiers, who for half a league have rode on horseback to the valley of death. This was under a command to take charge of some enemy forces that had seized them for some time. Even though all the soldiers were convinced that the commander had made a mistake, not one of them was distressed in charging forward. They rode courageously towards the valley of death. At the end of the war, only a few soldiers made it back. The world was surprised at the courage of the soldiers. Each line in the poem is in dimeter. This means that there are two stressed syllables in each line. In addition to this, each stressed syllable is comes before two unstressed syllables. This makes the rhythm of the poem dactylic. Employing a falling rhythm in the poem is appropriate for the demoralizing fall of the British brigade. This is one of the features the poet uses in communicating the message. The rhyme scheme, on the other hand, varies from a stanza to the next. He employs the same rhyme and in some occasions, a similar final word for most consecutive lines. Moreover, the poem employs anaphora. This is the repetition of the same word at the start of a variety of consecutive lines. This method has been employed to create a sense of remorseless assault. For instance, the repetition of the word cannon implies the manner in which the soldiers meet flying shells at all turns (Tennyson, 2004: 27). Repetition has been employed immensely throughout the poem for the sole purpose of creating emphasis. For instance, the repetition of the phrase half a league in the first and the second lines of the first stanza emphasize the long distance that the soldiers had to travel. Tennyson employs the third person point of view in making the descriptions within the poem. He most probably employs the male gender because on the 19th century gender biases, which held that women should not appear on battlefields. Strength and determination are the central themes of the entire poem. The soldiers face a lot of danger but show admirable qualities, which are honored. In communicating this message, Tonnyson employs personification, metaphors, and imagery. As far as imagery in the poem is concerned, critics have argued that more is meant by the author than just what is met by the eye. For instance, the phrase half a league has been repeatedly used to symbolize the distance which the soldiers had to cover (Tennyson, 2004: 27). Repetition is used here for emphasis. Guns and Cannon have also being used symbolically to represent the enemy and as a death threat. Sabers have also been used symbolically to represent power and heroism. The imprisoned woman that appears throughout all works by Tennyson has also been used symbolically. Tennyson employs female characters like most other poets of the Victorian era to symbolize the sensitive and artistic aspects of the conditions of humans. These imprisoned women function as isolation symbols experienced by people. The complete poem is an allusion to the real Brigade, which fought Russia in the 19th century. An additional figure of poetry that Tennyson employs in his effort to communicate the message is metaphor. For instance, jaws of death have been used metaphorically in the description of the Russian army. Mouth of hell has also been used metaphorically in the description of the battle. By incorporating figures of speech and imagery Tennyson offers a vivid image of the Brigade with bullets flying around the soldiers. The Charge of the Light Brigade is certainly a rousing poem, which employs a hypnotic beat. The rhythmic and thumping tempo echoes the galloping hooves of chargers and has made the poem a popular poem over the years. In addition to the denoting of hoof beats, the metre is reminiscent to drum beats. The drum beats were and are also used by military forces as a way of increasing the morale among the troops and as a way of encouraging the sign up of new recruits. The thrilling story of the changes experienced coupled with the rousing and attractive beat, as well as the heroism and noble talk offer a glorified view. This is majorly illustrated in the last stanza of the poem. There are however contradictions in the poem. This is expressed in the fact that though the poem describes defeat and death, it talks about glory and honor. The initial impressions created by an analysis of the poem are heroism, glory, and excitement. However, the underlying message that goes unnoticed is death as a result of fatal stupidity, incapability to question orders, and erroneous. Even though the beat of hooves and drums tells of the excitement in the battle, Tennyson goes further to inform the readers of the suffering and death. A Biblical shadow has also been employed with the use of the death valley. This is a noteworthy psychological image that the six hundred soldiers did not escape although they were able to return from it (Tennyson, 2004: 28). Rhetorical questions are employed as a poetic device for the purposes of emphasizing the point, while at the same time provoking readers to think. For instance, the second line in the second stanza is a rhetorical question that there was not a single man who was dismayed though each soldier knew that the commander had made a mistake. In conclusion, it is evident from the above analysis that the poet uses a variety of imagery, figures of speech, and personification as well as other poetic devices I his attempt to successfully communicate the meaning. All these have been centered in the communication of an exhilarating tone and the theme of honor and prosperity. Tennyson has been credited for his effective and effective use of structure and strong poetic devices in tying together the tone and the theme of the poem (Tennyson, 2000: 303). Goblin Market is a poem that was composed by Christina Georgina in 1859 and never published until 1862. This is one of the earliest works by Christina Georgina, and one of her poems that has been described as a masterpiece. It was intended to be a fairly story. However, as a result of its complex, suggestive, and its rich language, the poem has been ignored as a literature for children and regarded by a variety of critics as an expression of erotic and sexual fantasy. It also expresses the Victorian market economy, capitalism, Christian allegory on redemption and temptation, as well as glorification of feminism through sisterhood (Rohde, 2012: 4). The poem describes Laura and Lizzie, two sisters, who come across goblins selling enticing and magical fruits each day. Laura is warned by her sister not to fall in the trap of the goblins by reminding her of the catastrophic destiny of Jeanie, who died after eating the fruits. Laura however disagrees with the warnings and eats the fruits. Critics, in their effort to analyze the real meaning of the poem Goblin Market, have looked at the poet’s life for interpretive keys. Some of the biological aspects examined by critics as a way of achieving a deeper understanding of the poem include the poet’s love affairs. In addition to this, is her involvement with the movement of women’s mission to fellow women. The language used in the poem suggests a wide range of meanings. This has resulted to disagreements among critics on its meaning. Like all other poets, Christian Georgina employs a variety of poetic devices in her effort to communicate the theme. The issue of a sexual and erotic theme is supported by the poem’s language. The nature of the fruits sold by the goblins is described in details as succulent and luscious. When Lizzie begins the search for the goblin men, it has been described that their taunts have a heavy sexual overtones. They squeeze and caress her and invite her to eat the fruits. When she finally returns home she invites her sister to embrace her using an extremely erotic language. Just like the poem Change of the Light Brigade by Alfred Tennyson, the poem Goblin Market by Christiana Rossetti uses literary devices as language choice, symbolism, imagery, rhyme, and meter among other devices in the communication of the theme. The author uses a choice of language that is unique and erotic in nature in her effort to communicate the meaning. Other critics view Lizzie’s suffering and her offering to her sister not as an erotic advance, but as a sacrifice that is comparable to the Biblical sacrifice for Christ for the redemption of people (Rohde, 2012: 4). It can also be viewed as a sisterhood power in a feminist sense. The choice of language in the poem has also been used to in terms of economics, exchange, and commerce. Laura buys the exotic fruits from the goblins but they deny her money and she gives them a lock of her hair. Such poetic language can be viewed as the Victorian economy or capitalism. It can also be used to illustrate the role and place of women in the society as well as their place in literature. Some critics have suggested that such a language represents the poet’s own sexual theory. Renunciation as a theme in the poem is primarily demonstrated through the actions of Lizzie. This has often been used by critics as prove that the poet believed in the renouncement of pleasure for poetry to be significant. The structure of the poem has also been used as a poetic device in the attempt to narrow down to the theme. The structure calls for an interpretation of the poem as an enticement, fall, and salvation. This has been viewed as the story’s main purpose by most critics. In a Biblical point of view, Laura represents Eve, who is lured by the devil, while Lizzie has been used to represent Christ who sacrifices her life for the sake of her sister. However, a number of critics have held that the use of a sexual language does not go together with a Biblical moral story. With the above discussion, it has been argued that it is not easy for one to satisfactorily conclude on the thematic interpretation of the poem. From a closer analysis of the poem, it is arguable that more is meant than simply what is met by the eye. For instance, the use of fruits in the poem has been used symbolically to illustrate a source of temptation. At the start of the poem, readers have introduced to 29 varied kinds of fruits. Flowers have also been used to symbolize what is fragile, pure, and delicate. They can however be plucked representing a purity loss. Moon is a common symbol in majority of poems. In often times, moon symbolizes women or a cycle of changes. In the poem Goblin Market, the moon has been used to symbolize addiction to the fruits (Rohde, 2012: 5). The rhyme scheme and meter of the poem is irregular. It is arguable that the author chose such a rhyme scheme as a way of communicating the message. With an irregular and unpredictable rhyme scheme, it is arguable that the author is attempting to demonstrate the luring and fall of the character in the poem. A number of metaphors have also been used in the poem as a vehicle to communicating the theme. For instance, Laura’s hair and coins have been used metaphorically. Her tears represent pearl, which holds monetary value. Such metaphors are used to demonstrate how she sells her body in exchange for the fruits. Repetition is used in poetry for the sole purpose of emphasis. Rossetti employs repetition in her poem to emphasize some actions. For instance, there is repetition in the first stanza’s third and fourth lines. The title of the poem was also carefully chosen in connection with the theme. The title talks about the fruit market that is operated by goblins. Like the poem, the title is simple and seemingly straightforward. However, just like the poem, a lot is going on. The title suggests that the market shall be of a noteworthy significance to the poem. It is however important to note that this is not the kind of market where people buy and sell things. It is a symbol of the Victorian marriage market, an expression used by people to refer to the manipulations people went through to marry in rich families and move high in the society (Rohde, 2012: 5). Like most other writers, Christine is influenced by issues within the society. Female education and sexuality were issues of concern during the historical times. It can be argued that the seemingly forbidden fruit illustrates female sexuality. The results of eating the forbidden fruit are ambiguous in the poem just like the poet’s view on the status and role of women in the society. She emphasizes on the restrictions made against women and the feminist boundaries. Generally, the above discussed poems are good examples of how poets employ certain linguistic features to communicate a given message. It is arguable that poetic forms have been successfully employed in the poems. Bibliography Rohde, Jorg, Christianity and Gender in Christina Rossetti's “Goblin Market”, New York: GRIN Verlag, 2012. Tennyson Alfred, Alfred Tennyson, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Tennyson Alfred, The Poetical Works Of Alfred Lord Tennyson. Kansas: Kessinger Publishing, 2004. Read More