"Casabianca" by Felicia Hemans

In her poem, "Casabianca," Felicia Hemans uses contradicting images in order to demonstrate her viewpoint on war. Her use of imagery serves as a way for the reader to observe connotations based on her word choice. By using images of burning fire juxtaposed with images of childlike innocence, she is able to convey her argument that war destroys much more than human lives, but also purity and innocence.

She begins the poem with an image of war by using the term, "burning deck" (line 1). This image immediately gives the reader a picture of anger, rage, passion and fire. This line introduces the setting of her poem in order for the reader to understand the tone of the poem to be very serious and dark. The image of a burning deck also allows the reader to make mental connotations to the images of war. Hemans' use of burning fire imagery introduces the common knowledge and interpretation of war. In other words, she reminds the reader of what they already know about war: the passion, pain, and raging torment of those who fight.

When first introducing the character of the young boy in the poem, Hemans uses terms such as, "beautiful and bright" (line 5) and "proud though childlike" (line 8). This serves as a shift in image for the reader as Hemans goes from images of war and fire to images of innocence. The purpose for this contradiction is to introduce the idea of purity in relation to war. It is uncommon to think that these two subjects relate, but by conveying them together in her poem, Hemans is abel to argue that war acts as a means for the loss of purity and righteousness in society. By using imagery that conveys childlike innocence, Hemans introduces the consequence of war that the reader may or may not have thought of. Through her use of childlike imagery, Hemans is able to argue that the loss of innocence and purity among society as a result of war is just as much of a loss, if not more, as the loss of human lives.

Felicia Hemans' use of contradictory images served as a way to demonstrate her argument that loss of innocence within a society due to war is just as grave as the casualties. She argues her point through the poem by juxtaposing these two very different images, just as she does in the closing of her poem by saying, "But the noblest thing that perish'd there/Was that young, faithful heart" (line 39-40).