(Write on the
black-board.)

1. The ball

2. The sound of the enemy's cannon

3. The Duke of Brunswick

4. The farewells

5. The muster

6. The gathering of the Highlanders

7. The march to battle

8. Summary of pictures and the result.

Do you see any stanza that interferes with the progress of the action?
The third stanza anticipates the battle and destroys the continuity
between the sounds of the approaching enemy and the hurried farewells.

Why does the poet devote a special stanza to the Highlanders? Were they
more worthy of mention than the English and Irish regiments? The author,
George Gordon, Lord Byron, belonged to a Scotch family. The muster of
the Highlanders at midnight, combined with their stirring music, made a
very picturesque incident.

Consider the elements which contribute to the various scenes:

Stanza I

What is described? The ball given by the
Duchess of Richmond. What is the emotion of
this stanza? Pleasure, gaiety. What is the
picture in the first line? The arrival of the
guests, the welcomes, and the "revelry" of the
assembly. Why does the author say "Belgium's
capital" rather than "Brussels"? It suggests
the capital of a nation with a noble people.
Who were the "Beauty" and the "Chivalry"? The
ladies, the officers of the army, and the
nobility. Describe the picture you see in
"bright the lamps shone o'er fair women and
brave men". The large ball-room, the
brilliantly lighted chandeliers, the beautiful
costumes of the ladies, the uniforms and
decorations of officers and nobles. Describe
the images that are suggested by "and when
music arose with its voluptuous swell". The
bands of the regiments are playing the music of
the dance. Notice how the poet changes the
rhythm to the foot of three syllables, to
indicate the music of the waltz. What contrast
do you find in the last two lines? "Marriage
bell" and "rising knell". What was the purpose
of this? To show the contrast between pleasure
and fear.

Stanza II

What is the theme? The sound of the enemy's
cannon. Why does the author use the dramatic
form? A conversation between two people of
opposite temperaments gives greater reality to
the picture. The first seems to expect