Conflict. CCEA GCSE English Literature. Poetry Notes. irevise.com Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

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1 Conflict CCEA GCSE English Literature Poetry Notes irevise.com Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

2 irevise.com All revision notes have been produced by mockness ltd for irevise.com. Copyrighted material. All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, reprinting, or otherwise without either the prior written permission of irevise.com or a license permitting copying in the United Kingdom issued by the copyright licensing Agency. 2 Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

3 Table of Contents The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson... 5 Summary... 7 Annotation... 8 Vitaï Lampada by Henry Newbolt Summary Annotation The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy Summary Annotation Who s for the Game? by Jessie Pope Summary Annotation Easter Monday (In Memoriam E.T.) by Eleanor Farjeon Summary Annotation Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen Summary Annotation An Irish Airman Foresees his Death by WB Yeats Summary Annotation What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why (Sonnet XLIII) by Edna St. Vincent Millay Context/Summary Annotation Vergissmeinnicht by Keith Douglas Summary Annotation Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes Summary Annotation Requiem for the Croppies by Seamus Heaney Summary Annotation Mametz Wood by Owen Sheers Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

4 Summary Annotation Last Post by Carol Ann Duffy Summary Annotation Poppies by Jane Weir Summary Annotation Out of the Blue 12 by Simon Armitage Summary Annotation Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

5 The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson Charge of The Light Brigade I Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns! he said. Into the valley of Death II Forward, the Light Brigade! Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew Someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die. Into the valley of Death III Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of hell IV Flashed all their sabres bare, Flashed as they turned in air Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wondered. Plunged in the battery-smoke Right through the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reeled from the sabre stroke Shattered and sundered. Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred. 5 Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

6 V Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell. They that had fought so well Came through the jaws of Death, Back from the mouth of hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred. VI When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! All the world wondered. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred! 6 Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

7 Summary The Crimean war saw British troops fighting in Russia. At this time, while there were basic guns and cannons, people would still also fight or horses, to rush in and attack before they could reload or stop them. However, as per their name, the light brigade were very lightly equipped, more for scouting or attacking from the back or sides than charging straight in. During a battle, a miscommunication sent the light brigade charging head first into the cannons of the other side, it was a huge catastrophe and many died. It showed the British that even mistakes can happen. The men were respected for following orders, even though they knew they may be wrong. Some however have criticised the way they blindly followed orders. Lord Tennyson was the poet asked to write about their glorious sacrifice. 7 Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

8 Annotation Charge of The Light Brigade (this poem describes this event, its significance, and its aftermath) I Half a league, half a league, ( half of almost three miles) Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death (a biblical reference connoting tragedy, hell) Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns! he said. (i.e. run straight into the enemy s fire, hence the valley being one of Death ) Into the valley of Death II Forward, the Light Brigade! (this repetition of the call to arms is due to the structure of the poem, but could also be an actual repetition on behalf of the men s leader; did they falter when confronted by the prospect of death?) Was there a man dismayed? (this seems to reinforce the inference of the previous line) Not though the soldier knew Someone had blundered. (each soldier was too busy focusing on themselves, on survival, to look around and worry about others) Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die. (this power of three accentuates the harsh reality that these men were to go willingly to their deaths and obey all orders without question, even if they were highly questionable) Into the valley of Death (this repetition serves to imply, And they never came out of it. ) III Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volleyed and thundered; (imagery of a storm of gunfire all around, almost an image of Moses parting the Dead Sea and his people journeying through it) Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, (the men bravely/foolishly were unbowed by the enemy s fire and their imminent death) Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of hell (a metaphor for what the men experienced in death, rather than where the narrator supposes them to have ended up based on this poem s tone and context) IV 8 Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

9 Flashed all their sabres bare, (they brandished their swords, sabres, until they no longer shone) Flashed as they turned in air Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while (they charged with their swords, attempting to attack the men behind the guns firing at them) All the world wondered. (i.e. presumably at the carnage of this situation primarily, and at the men s bravery; wondered could also be a metaphor for living here; dreams are an essential part of life; while these men rode to their deaths, the world went on elsewhere without them) Plunged in the battery-smoke Right through the line they broke; (the ferocity of the men s attack breached the defensive line they charged at) Cossack and Russian Reeled from the sabre stroke Shattered and sundered. (the enemy retreated) Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred. ( the six hundred continued their advance) V Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, (the storm of the previous canto extends to this one, even though the enemy have retreated) While horse and hero fell. They that had fought so well (though the six hundred have fought bravely, the battle they are waging is one of attrition; they are being worn down and defeated the superior numbers/artillery of the enemy) Came through the jaws of Death, Back from the mouth of hell, All that was left of them, (the men do not literally come back, but the word of what they ve done does, meaning that their memory will live on) Left of six hundred. VI When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! (Never, seems to be the narrator s answer, although we must appreciate his tone of rueful irony; these men are immortal) All the world wondered. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred! 9 Conflict Poetry GCSE English Literature Revision Notes

The Charge of the Light Brigade. Alfred Lord Tennyson

The Charge of the Light Brigade Alfred Lord Tennyson Born on August 6, 1809, in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England, Alfred Tennyson is one of the most well-loved Victorian poets. Tennyson, the fourth of twelve