Charge of the Light Brigade vs Kamikaze

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Charge of the Light Brigade vs Kamikaze

Similarities

  • Both explore the conflict that comes with people's decisions to sacrifice themselves for their country.
  • Both emphasise the impact of war.
  • Both poems act as a mouthpiece to expose the reality of war; a suicide mission.
  • Both present how the men were seen as puppets in war and not as humans.

Differences

  • The Charge of the Light Brigade: the soldiers are presented as noble, heroic and brave. Whereas, in Kamikaze, the soldier is presented as cowardly and weak as he was not willing to sacrifice himself for his country.
  • In Charge of the Light Brigade, we are only able to identity the soldiers as a group and not as individuals, like in Kamikaze. Therefore, we are only able to hear the story about the soldiers as a group and not individuals.

Overall comparison

Both poems explore the reality of war and the reality the psyche goes under from the trauma, guilt and devastation. However, it is apparent that Charge of the Light Brigade is a poem that warns a reader about the horrors of war. These soldiers should be honoured and remembered as heroes for sacrificing themselves for their country. Whereas, in Kamikaze, the poem talks about the dishonourable soldier, who turned his back on his country, so he could live. The poem explores the high expectations of a Japanese society and culture; it's better to die a 'hero' than die a coward. 

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