In The Destruction of Shemnacherib, Byron uses different types of imagery to illustrate conflicting feelings about winning the war. In this poem, the complete demolition of the Assyrian people is described in a manner that is both horrific and peaceful, demonstrating how the success of war is always tainted by the atrocities of death on the other side. Striking the visual, auditory, and tactile senses with images of destruction and peace, Byron captures the contradictory feelings of devastation associated with the destruction of the vanquished side and contrasts them with the joy of triumph over the enemy. The intertwining of peaceful and devastating images in this poem conveys the bittersweet feeling of rejoicing in victory while experiencing the horror of death on the other side. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essayThe visual images in this poem show the atrocity of death in war, but also use simile to remind us that After the war, there is a bright future for me to look forward to. The haunting image of death is conveyed through “the distorted and pale horseman/With dew on his brow and rust on his coat of mail” (17-18). The image of a mutilated, lifeless body on the ground shocks the visual sense and leaves one with a traumatic image of death, even if it is the body of the enemy. The detail of the dew on the rider's forehead conveys a strange stillness that seems cruel. However, this image contrasts with a peaceful image of the enemy “melting like snow before the gaze of the Lord” (24). The melting of the snow is a gradual process and a tranquil image, a reminder that even though they are all dead, peace now reigns. Melting snow is also a sign that winter is over and that spring, a time of renewal and fertility, is on the horizon. The parallel between spring and the end of the war gives hope that even after this devastation and mass death, a new and better time awaits us. The contrasting visual images of melting snow and a mutilated corpse illustrate feelings of peace in the face of enemy destruction, tainted by traumatic images of corpses. This contrast is confusing and evokes a strange mix of feelings about winning the war. The auditory images in this poem add to the mixed feelings, creating intense sounds of terror and contrasting them with peaceful silence to show happiness mixed with pain. As all the males of the Assyrian nation are killed, “the widows of Ashur cry out loudly,” and their cries pierce the auditory senses with horror (21). The immense loss of these women and their mournful cries are a tragic aural image that reminds us that even though they are the enemy, they too have broken families. This tragedy arouses feelings of extreme pity on the other side. Much like the visual imagery, there is auditory imagery representative of peace in the midst of destruction, as "the trumpet [is] not blown", meaning there is no call to battle (20). The effect of mentioning the unblown trumpet emphasizes the absence of war and, therefore, the presence of peace. The contrasting images of the weeping widows with the peaceful silence of the battlefield reflect the bittersweetness of victory in war. The conflicting visual and auditory images create a feeling of anxiety about winning the war, which is intensified by tactile images that demonstrate the frightening feeling of death. but simultaneously depicts a rapid passage. The body of a dead horse lying on the ground is “cold like the spray of the waves beating against the rock” (16). There?