Destruction of Sennacherib by Lord Byron Flashcards
Summary of Destruction of Sennacherib
-“The Destruction of Sennacherib” was published by Lord Byron in 1815 as part of the book Hebrew Melodies.
-The poem was written to be accompanied by music. The poem retells the biblical story of the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian king Sennacherib, during which, according to the Bible, God destroyed the entire Assyrian army in the middle of the night.
-The poem is notable for its sympathetic portrayal of the Jewish people during a historical period that was rife with anti-Semitism.
Key context about Destruction of Sennacherib?
-“The Destruction of Sennacherib” is a poem by Lord Byron published in 1815.
-It is based on an event from the Bible found in the book of 2 Kings, specifically the miraculous defeat of the Assyrian king’s army outside of Jerusalem.
-According to the biblical account, Sennacherib’s (LEADER OF SYRIAN ARMY) army was destroyed in a single night by an angel of the Lord, sparing Jerusalem from a siege.
Form/ Structure of the poem
-The poem is notable for its vivid imagery and the use of anapestic tetrameter, which gives it a rapid and rhythmic flow.
-The rhythmic regular rhyme scheme (rhyming couplets) AABB rhyme scheme mimics the constant power of God in all situations against any forces, it could also reflect/ mimic the sound of walking soldiers alongside the hooves of the horses.
“The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold”:
-This simile compares the Assyrian army to a wolf attacking a flock of sheep, suggesting a predatory and violent nature, how they would be expected to win a war as the simile shows how powerful they are.
-Later contrasts with the overwhelming power of god ‘Angel of Death’ ‘Lord’. Even though this army is so strong, God is even stronger. (omnipotence of God)
“And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold; / And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea”:
-The use of visual imagery here, with the gleaming colours and the comparison to stars, emphasises the grandeur and seeming invincibility of the army.
- Later contrasts with the overwhelming power of god. Even though this army is so strong, God is even stronger. (omnipotence of God)
“Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green, / That host on the morrow lay withered and strown”:
-This is a metaphor comparing the soldiers to leaves.
-It contrasts the vibrancy of life with the death that follows, emphasising the transient nature of power and life.
-It shows the power of God to destroy anything he needs to, even an extremely powerful army.
‘For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, / And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed”:
-Personification is used here for the Angel of Death, giving a chilling character to the biblical figure as an active participant in the Assyrians’ death.
- Shows overwhelming power of god.
“And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill”
-Contribute to the morbid atmosphere, emphasizing the sudden and irreversible nature of death that has overtaken the soldiers.
“And there lay the rider distorted and pale, / With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail”:
Imagery and alliteration (“rider,” “distorted,” “pale”) paint a graphic picture of the aftermath, with the “dew” suggesting the morning but also the coldness of death.
