Charge of the Light Brigade and Exposure

Question 1

Comparison 1

Answer 1

Both poems criticise those in power in conflict and how soldiers are abandoned by the authority that placed them there.

Question 2

Comparison 2

Answer 2

Both poems explore the cyclical nature of conflict and how the loss of soldiers is seemingly inevitable.

Question 3

Comparison 3

Answer 3

Both poems explore the futility of conflict and the powerlessness of the soldiers in battle.

Question 4

Charge of the Light Brigade 1

Answer 4

In Charge of the Light Brigade, the criticism is less direct and focuses on the honour of the soldiers.

Question 5

Charge of the Light Brigade 1 - Quotes

Answer 5

“someone had blundered”

“boldly they rode…into the mouth of hell”

Question 6

Exposure 1

Answer 6

In contrast, in Exposure, Owen writes in the first person without censorship – he exposes the failings of the government.

Question 7

Exposure 1 - Quotes

Answer 7

“our brains ache”

“merciless iced east winds that knive us”

Question 8

Charge of the Light Brigade 2

Answer 8

In Charge of the Light Brigade this is evident through the use of repetition of the phrase “rode the six hundred”.

Question 9

Charge of the Light Brigade 2 - Quotes

Answer 9

“rode the six hundred”

Question 10

Exposure 2

Answer 10

Similarly, in Exposure, Owen also uses repetition to convey his message.

Question 11

Exposure 2 - Quotes

Answer 11

“But nothing happens”

“Dawn massing in the east her melancholy army”

Question 12

Charge of the Light Brigade 3

Answer 12

In Charge of the Light Brigade, the soldiers are defenceless against cannons with their light armoury but are dedicated to their duty.

Question 13

Charge of the Light Brigade 3 - Quotes

Answer 13

“theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do or die”

“cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them”

Question 14

Exposure 3

Answer 14

In contrast, in Exposure, the soldiers are consumed by nature – they are unable to escape their situation or defend themselves against the nature, or the government which placed them in conflict.

Question 15

Exposure 3 - Quotes

Answer 15

“all their eyes are ice”

“ranks in shivering ranks of grey”

Question 16

“our brains ache”

Answer 16

“our”/”us”- collective pronouns
-highlights universal nature of xps of war

• present tense
• never ending cycle of pain+misery in war

“ache”- cn of ongoing pain
-mirrors xp of soldiers, as faced with constant emotional+physical pain, despite dullness of war

Question 17

“merciless iced east winds that knive us”

Answer 17

• sibilance
  -may mirror harshness of wind, shows terrible conditions forced to fight in
  -alt. cn cold/emotionless - deceit, govt detached from suffering
  -may give impression govt is deceiving soldiers in sense that are sent out to war, innocent of knowledge of reality
  “knife” close contact weapon, easily concealed- highlights how poet feels govt personally/openly deceived them, as they knew many of men wont make out alive

Question 18

“But nothing happens”

Answer 18

• refrain
• war monotonous and dull
• soldiers waiting for something to happen yet never does
• xposed to more than just conflict
• highlights needless suffering as soldiers just waiting to die

Question 19

“dawn massing in the east her melancholy army”

Answer 19

“dawn” - cn new beginnings

• jxt smf of misery
• emphasise everyday filled with same misery+despair of the last
• illustrates hopelessness of war
• circularity - highlights endless monotony of soldier’s day to day life in war.

Question 20

“all their eyes are ice”

Answer 20

“all” - collective xp, lost identity

• metaphor - refers to eyes of men who are dead but also men who are living
• nature transcends mortality, living + dead both entirely consumed by nature, no separation between the two
• nature no boundaries
• cold to violence, death + loss that they experienced during war
• highlights horror of war-can no longer feel emotion, desensitised to horrific events they’ve witnessed and instead have become resigned to their situation. ​

Question 21

“ranks in shivering ranks of grey”

Answer 21

“grey” -cn of lifelessness - emphatic of dullness of war

• war ultimately pointless, all life will be destroyed
• could refer to DE uniforms (also grey)
• immediately aligns nature w/ enemy
• nature common enemy between all soldiers, no matter which side they fight on
• nature transcends all man made concepts, including war

Question 22

“someone had blundered”

Answer 22

• understatement, perhaps to avoid criticising due to position as poet laureate
• perhaps to show how those in power only believed it was a minor mistake
• reinforce by “someone”, emphasises detatchment of govt from soldiers, do not care, soldiers merely there to fight for them

Question 23

“boldly they rode…into the mouth of hell”

Answer 23

“boldy” - placed at beginning to create emphasis on bravery of soldiers for continuing despite their inevitable death

• may distract reader from the “blunder” made by those in charge
• personifies death, used exaggerate the futility and bravery of the soldier that they are going to die, but do so boldly
• lexical field of consumption gives sense of entrapment and inevitability - soldiers riding to a certain death, yet the leaders seem unphased by this and rather than admit their mistake, they allow thousands to be murderded
• hellish and deathly imagery - creates an atmosphere of tragedy which in turn emphasises the utter foolishness of those in charge

Question 24

“rode the six hundred”

Answer 24

• refrain, reinforces large number involved as well as creating a foreboding tone as the riders draw nearer to their death
• reader comes to expect the line, just as the soldiers expect to die
• rounded number could reflect how many of these soldiers go unrecognised, despite their bravery and sacrifice which demonstrates how they have no identity during war and mirrors how the soldiers are sent out with out remorse from govt

Question 25

“theirs not to make reply, theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do or die”

Answer 25

“make reply” - suggests soldiers don’t have the simple human right to reply back - emphasises their lack of power + their vulnerability
“do or die” - will end in death either war - waste of human life, futile
-repetition- emphasises lack of control soldiers have over their fate
-in an almost robotic way, they have been conditioned to follow instructions, no matter what they might be showing how ultimately powerless the soldiers are

Question 26

“cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them”

Answer 26

• “cannon” heavy machinery jxt “rode” soldiers on horse back, immediately establishes the power imbalance between the light brigade and the enemy and paints battle as a futile attempt that will ultimately end in tragedy
• intense feeling of being surrounded as soldiers surrounded by enemy
• demonstrates how odds are stacked against the soldiers, and so it is futile as they will be instantly gunned down