The Destruction Of Sennacherib Flashcards
What does the metaphor ‘like the wolf on the fold’ show?
That the assyrians attacked very visiouscly and perhaps were slightly sneaky and preying on things that were an easy catch
’ The cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold’. What does this colour choice show?
That they were powerful
In what simile does it show that the army is healthy and ready to fight and then how is a juxtaposition created here
‘Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green’
Juxtaposition is created when it says ‘like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown. That host on the morrow lay wither’d and strown’. It creates chaos in contrast to the earlier calm atmosphere
How is God’s power shown in this poem?
‘For the angel of death spread his wings on the blast and breathes in the face of the foe as he pass’d’
Shows that he has divine anger and has sent an evil angel to defeat the army. Shows that he has the power to defeat a strong army
What does the phrase ‘and there lay the steed with his nostril all wide, but through it there roll’d not the breath of his pride’ show
That even might majestic creatures like horses were killed by god’s anger
What does the phrase ‘and the tents were all silent, the banners alone, The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown’ show?
It shows the contrast between the army at the beginning of the poem when they were so confident and full of life ‘the host with their banners at sunset were seen’ and now when everything is quiet.
What is the phrase that shows that God killed everyone who was not Jewish
‘And the might of the gentille unsmote by the sword hath melted like snow in the glance of the lord’
Who wrote this poem?
Lord Byron
What is the destruction of Senacharib about?
It is retelling a biblical story from the old testament in which God destroys King Senacheribs Assyrian army as they attack the holy city of Jerusalem
What is the significance of the theme death?
What always brings death and destruction. The attack is halted by the death of the soldiers. “And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail”
What is the significance of the theme of God’s power?
His is going power is demonstrated through references to nature “and the might of the gentille unsmote by the sword hath melted like snow in the glance of the lord”
How does Byron show the power of the miracle that has occurred?
At the start of the poem the might of the Assyians is emphasised by them being compared to a predator attacking defenceless animals but then the destruction by God is achieved as easily as snow melting
The Destruction Of Sennacherib is written in quatrain with a very profound rhythm. What does this show?
The effect is that the poem is lively and vibrant but this is at odds with the tragic subject. The contradiction between the form and content can be seen as echoing the contrast between the might of a great army and tradjedy of war
What does the rhyming couplet format do?
It helped drive the narrative forward
Why is the fact that Byron chose this rhythm for a poem about death striking?
Because it is usually used in comic and light verse
