The Destruction Of Sennacherib By George Gordon

George Gordon, Lord Byron, otherwise known as Lord Byron, was one of the most influential British poets in the 1800’s. As an acclaimed English, Romantic poet, he is particularly famous for his work “The Destruction of Sennacherib.” This narrative poem is a retelling of the Assyrian attack on the city of Jerusalem. Accordingly, Lord Byron uses vivid words and symbols to depict King Sennacherib’s attempt to siege Jerusalem, only to be met with God’s mighty power to the point of death in order to protect His holy city. In the beginning of the poem, Lord Byron describes King Sennacherib as a powerful leader and brutal warrior. The king leads the Assyrian army in an attack in hopes of destroying Jerusalem. Byron says, “The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold” (1). He portrays King Sennacherib as a wolf attacking a sheepfold. When he refers to the powerful Assyrian army, he says “And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold” (2). The reference to the colors of purple and gold show royalty and power of the army. Byron shows the reader that the Assyrians are a group of people who are dangerous and threatening to their opponent. They are universally mighty such that “the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea” (3).
However, upon meeting the tremendous power of God they became “Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown” (6). The reader realizes that the Assyrian army has been transformed from alive and vibrant to dead and scattered. The reader realizes that the Power of God has overcome the Assyrians, “For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed” (9-10). The avenging angel uses no violence and shows no anger. His simple breath shows the strength of God’s