Prompt 01
Essay task
In "The Charge of the Light Brigade," Tennyson employs vivid imagery, repetition, and rhythm to create a multifaceted depiction of war—one that both celebrates the soldiers' bravery and subtly critiques the military leadership that led to their demise.
Write a well-structured essay arguing how Tennyson utilizes specific poetic devices to express a mixed or contradictory attitude toward war and duty. Your essay should address at least two of the following elements:
- Repetition and refrain (e.g., "Into the valley of Death," "Rode the six hundred")
- Imagery and diction (e.g., cannon imagery, "the jaws of Death," "the mouth of Hell")
- Rhythm and meter (e.g., the impact of dactylic dimeter on the reader's experience)
- Tone and speaker perspective (e.g., who is being honored, who is being blamed)
Your essay must include
> Note to students: Aim to avoid simply summarizing the poem. Your goal is to interpret how the poem conveys meaning, not just what it states.
- A clear, debatable thesis that highlights Tennyson's central attitude(s) toward war
- Close textual evidence (direct quotations from the poem)
- Analysis that links poetic technique to meaning and effect
- A conclusion that considers the poem's enduring relevance or moral complexity