Compare And Contrast The Charge Of The Light Brigade By Alfred Lord Tennyson
I am fascinated with World War I and how it changed the worlds view of humanity. It was hoped that the war would be short and most soldiers believed that they would be home by Christmas. Society viewed the war as inevitable and soldiers greatly anticipated fighting for Romantic ideals such as for honor and glory. Similar to the poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the soldiers before World War 1 believed that their was a purpose for what they were fighting for. There was nobility and honor in following orders and in dying for their country. World War I was far from the Romantic and clean war that society was hoping for, instead it horrifyingly showcased how modern technology could be used to kill millions of people.
It showed how mechanistic, cold, and heartless society had become. Perhaps society had replaced what it meant to be human with materialistic and shallow values. Was their truly purpose, honor, and glory in dying for a collective society and culture that had forgotten what it meant to be human? The view of society during and after the war is reflected in the poem the “Drummer Hodge” by Thomas Hardy. In the poem Hodge is killed and is buried in an unmarked grave. He does not know why he died and what he died for. This contrasts greatly with “The Charge of the Light Brigade” in which the soldiers, despite the fact their leaders made a detrimental mistake, continued to follow them and found glory and honor in dying. World War I proved three major philosophies of the 20th century. First, it proved the philosophy of Marx that it is the competition between social classes (as well as between countries) for limited resources and power that ultimately drives society. Second, it proved that society had lost much of its spirituality expressed in the statement given by Nietzsche that “God is dead.” Finally, it proved Darwin’s theory of the survival of the fittest, or in other words, it proved that nations should eliminate other nations and cultures that were viewed as “inferior.” The dark, violent, brutal, and industrial world experienced in World War I can be seen in modern art before and after the war. Modern art often viewed society within a chaotic world. In other words, it depicted a flourishing collective society and yet individual people were isolated and crippled by materialism. These philosophies and artistic movements were proven by World War I, which shaped how society viewed themselves.
It showed how mechanistic, cold, and heartless society had become. Perhaps society had replaced what it meant to be human with materialistic and shallow values. Was their truly purpose, honor, and glory in dying for a collective society and culture that had forgotten what it meant to be human? The view of society during and after the war is reflected in the poem the “Drummer Hodge” by Thomas Hardy. In the poem Hodge is killed and is buried in an unmarked grave. He does not know why he died and what he died for. This contrasts greatly with “The Charge of the Light Brigade” in which the soldiers, despite the fact their leaders made a detrimental mistake, continued to follow them and found glory and honor in dying. World War I proved three major philosophies of the 20th century. First, it proved the philosophy of Marx that it is the competition between social classes (as well as between countries) for limited resources and power that ultimately drives society. Second, it proved that society had lost much of its spirituality expressed in the statement given by Nietzsche that “God is dead.” Finally, it proved Darwin’s theory of the survival of the fittest, or in other words, it proved that nations should eliminate other nations and cultures that were viewed as “inferior.” The dark, violent, brutal, and industrial world experienced in World War I can be seen in modern art before and after the war. Modern art often viewed society within a chaotic world. In other words, it depicted a flourishing collective society and yet individual people were isolated and crippled by materialism. These philosophies and artistic movements were proven by World War I, which shaped how society viewed themselves.