The Destruction of Sennacherib

By Lord Byron (1788–1824)

Context

• Lord Byron was a leading poet of the Romantic era, known for his dramatic and vivid poetry. "The Destruction of Sennacherib" is based on a biblical story from the Old Testament, where the Assyrian King Sennacherib's army is destroyed by an angel sent by God. The poem vividly depicts the sudden and complete destruction of what was thought to be an invincible army. Byron's use of strong imagery and a regular, rhythmic structure emphasises the power of divine intervention and the futility of human pride.

The Poem

The Destruction of Sennacherib

The Assyrian came down

like the wolf on the fold,

← Sibilance

And his cohorts were

gleaming in purple and gold;

← Imagery

And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,

When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.

Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green,

That host with their banners at sunset were seen:

Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown,

That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.

For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,

← Imagery and personification

And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;

And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,

And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!

And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,

But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride;

And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,

And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.

And there lay the rider distorted and pale,

← Visual imagery and contrast

With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail:

And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,

The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.

And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,

And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;

And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,

Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!

← Simile

5 Quotes + Analysis to Achieve a Grade 9

1. Language device = Simile. "Like the wolf on the fold" Analysis: The simile "like the wolf on the fold" dehumanises the Assyrians, comparing them to predatory animals. This not only emphasises their fierceness but also suggests they are morally inferior, driven by instinct rather than reason. This image sets the tone for their eventual downfall, showing that no matter how powerful they appear, they are still subject to divine justice.

2. Language device = Imagery. "Gleaming in purple and gold" Analysis: Describing the Assyrian army as "gleaming in purple and gold" highlights their pride and confidence. The rich colours of their armour suggest wealth and power, but also vanity. Byron uses this imagery to show that their outward splendour is meaningless in the face of divine power, foreshadowing their ultimate defeat.

3. Language device = Imagery and personification. "The Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast" Analysis: The Angel of Death is depicted as an almost effortless force, simply "spread[ing] his wings" to bring about the Assyrians' destruction. This imagery emphasises the overwhelming power of God, who needs only a breath to wipe out an entire army. The "Angel of Death" is given human-like qualities, spreading its wings as if a physical being, which makes the concept of death more vivid and immediate. This emphasises the inevitability of the Assyrians' destruction.

4. Language device = Visual imagery and contrast. "And there lay the rider distorted and pale" Analysis: This image of the dead rider, "distorted and pale", alongside the rusting armour creates a vivid and graphic image of death and decay, and contrasts sharply with the earlier depiction of the Assyrians as powerful and glamorous. It illustrates the fleeting nature of human glory and the inevitability of death, serving as a reminder that even the mightiest warriors cannot escape divine judgment.

5. Language device = Simile. "Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!" Analysis: The simile "melted like snow" emphasises the complete and effortless destruction of the Assyrians. Just as snow disappears quickly under the warmth of the sun, the Assyrian army is annihilated by a mere glance from God. This final image reinforces the poem's theme of the ultimate power of the divine over human endeavours.

Form

• Quatrains and Rhyming Couplets:
  • The poem is made up of six quatrains, with consistent rhyming couplets throughout. This regular structure may reflect the dependability of divine power to protect Jerusalem from the Assyrians.
• Buoyant Rhythm:
  • The poem's meter produces a rhythmic, almost marching beat, which contrasts with the grim events it describes. This rhythm could represent the triumphant feelings of those who were saved from the Assyrian threat.

Structure

• Volta:
  • The poem has a clear turning point halfway through the second stanza. Before this, the Assyrians are depicted as powerful and confident, but after the volta, they are shown to be completely destroyed by the power of God.
• Imagery of Seasons:
  • The poem uses the imagery of a forest in summer to represent the Assyrians in their prime, while the image of a forest in autumn shows their destruction. This repetition and adaptation of imagery highlight the speed and completeness of their downfall.
• Juxtaposition:
  • The stillness of the battlefield in stanza five is juxtaposed with the chaos and noise in stanza six, where the Assyrian widows wail, and the idols are broken. This contrast emphasises the consequences of war, including the grief and loss felt by those left behind.

Example Paragraph for a Grade 9 Answer:

In "The Destruction of Sennacherib," Byron presents the power of God as overwhelming and absolute. The simile "melted like snow" illustrates how effortlessly the Assyrian army is destroyed by a mere "glance of the Lord." The description of the Angel of Death who "spread his wings on the blast" highlights the ease with which divine power can bring about total devastation. Byron contrasts the earlier images of the Assyrians "gleaming in purple and gold" with their eventual fate, lying "distorted and pale", to emphasise that human pride and might are insignificant in the face of God's will. Through these images, Byron underscores the futility of human strength against the ultimate authority of the divine.