Read the passage from "The Charge of the Light Brigade:"
"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismayed?
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Where are the stressed syllables in each line, and what is their effect?
A) The first syllable in each line; it slows the reader at the beginning of each line.
B) The first and fourth syllable in each line; it creates a sensation of horse hooves drumming on the ground.
C) The last syllable in each line; it creates a pause at the end of the line.
D) Every other syllable in each line; it creates a sing-song rhythm.
Is it c?
Yes, C is correct.
No, it is not option C. The stressed syllables in each line of the passage from "The Charge of the Light Brigade" are as follows:
- "For-ward, the Light Bri-gade!": The first syllable is stressed.
- "Was there a man dis-mayed?": The second and last syllable are stressed.
- "Some-one had blun-dered.": The second and last syllable are stressed.
- "Theirs not to make re-ply,": The second and fourth syllable are stressed.
- "Theirs but to do and die.": The second and last syllable are stressed.
- "In-to the val-ley of Death": The second and fourth syllable are stressed.
- "Rode the six hun-dred.": The fourth syllable is stressed.
The correct option is B - The first and fourth syllable in each line; it creates a sensation of horse hooves drumming on the ground.
No, the correct answer is A) The first syllable in each line; it slows the reader at the beginning of each line.
In order to determine where the stressed syllables are in each line, you can look for patterns of emphasis. In this case, each line starts with a stressed syllable: "For-," "Was-," "Some-," "Theirs-," and "In-." These emphasized syllables at the beginning of each line create a slow, deliberate pace for the poem. They also grab the reader's attention and set the tone for the intense and grave subject matter of the poem.
By starting with a stressed syllable, the poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, emphasizes key words and phrases, such as "Forward," "blundered," and "valley of Death." This technique adds to the dramatic and emotional impact of the lines, enhancing the overall effect of the poem.