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‘Flag’ and ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ (CLC) which are both from the conflict cluster. The poem ‘Flag’ is written by John Agar and the poem ‘CLC’ is written by Alfred Tennyson! In the poem ‘Flag’ the poet starts off by using a rhetorical question which settles a vivid Image In the reader’s mind, unlike ‘CLC’ which starts off by a repetition of three, In a different point of view this makes the reader think Just before the start to read the poem.
This makes them think that what does ;half a league’ have to do with the poem title because by looking at the title the deader gets a clue of what the poem may be about. The poet John Agar starts his poem with a rhetorical question at the beginning of each of the five stanzas. In Alfred poem the first two stanzas both have the same command in which is spoken by a person. Forward, the Light Brigade! ‘ this shows us that the poem is written in second person and we also know this by the lines in the poem which state ‘Cannon to the right of them, Cannon to the left of them’. Them’ clearly states that this is a narrator’s point of view which is talking about someone else, the word ‘Cannon’ Is a armful weapon which shoots out metallic balls that are used in war (conflict).
You can also tell that this Is a war scene by ‘Charging an army In stanza four; this clearly shows that conflict can be Involved by many people from any ages from kids to teens, from adults to seniors Including the army. I think that the poet Is relating to the situations that occur in everyday life. In the poem ‘Flag’ John also uses repetition in the second line of the first four stanzas, as he keeps on mocking a flag by calling it an ordinary ‘cloth’.
The poem does not rhyme but at the end of the poem the last two nines both end with words that rhyme together which is known as a ‘Rhyming couplet’. In each stanza of the poem ‘Flag the poet includes a rhetorical question about a flag’ and the person who is giving the response in the lines under the question are showing how ‘Flags’ are not Just ordinary piece of beautiful cloth that is here to represent a country but it also can have a negative Impact I. E. Countries can go Into conflict Just to save their countries reputation.
It Is also used in many other negative ways Like using the flag and placing It on your face so only your eyes are kibbles; this action Is shown as a threat In the readers eyes as they Imagine how something simple like a ‘Flag’ can have a huge impact on people and how serious they take this criticism and how defenseless they are. The last two lines state ;Just ask for a flag my friend. Then blind your conscience to the end. ” In my opinion this means that the poet is using a sarcastic tone by telling the reader to pick up a flag and Join the conflict and harm yourself until you are no more!
In ‘CB’ the poet describes the battle in chronological order also some lines are repeated in the poem ouch as; ;cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them, cannon behind them” this shows that the poet wants us to keep the picture in our mind my notifying us with the same imagery time after time as we read along so that it can keep us focused of what has happened so far In poem which Is also Informing us from the beginning of the poem by repeating the lines over and over again.
The repetition of ;six hundred” In each stanza reminds us about the amount of people that have died in this war Both poems are based in conflict they both have hidden meanings like meeting so simple like a flag might have no value you to you doesn’t mean it’s has no value to as others which can be used in a positive but in this case it used in negative way!
I think what John Agar is trying to say is not to Judge and not to take anything for granted. In the poem ‘CLC’ to me I think that it is a battle taking place and army outnumbered the other as they only had six hundred brave men who risked their lives for their country. It shows that conflict does not solve any problems it Just makes it more brutal!