The Charge of the Light Brigade

‘Half a league…

‘Half a league, half a league, half a league onward’

‘Theirs not to make…

‘Theirs not to make reply, theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die’

‘Cannon to the…

‘Cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them, cannon in front of them’

‘Into the…

‘Into the jaws of death, into the mouth of Hell’

‘When can their…

‘When can their glory fade? O wild charge they made!

‘Honour the…

‘Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble Six Hundred’

What was Tennysons role during the Crimean War?

Poet laureate

What is the role of the poet laureate?

He was bound to glorify war to the British public to defend the positions of the aristocracy

What was the Crimean War?

Initially, a conflict involving Russia and the Ottoman Empire, but eventually France and Britain became involved

Was the Crimean War popular with the British public at the time?

No, they saw it as unnecessary and as it was the most well documented war of the time, they were aware of the mistakes made

Who were the Light Brigade?

Often members of the lower class who were lightly armored and on horseback

What happened in the Battle of Balaclava?

A suicidal attack on a fixed position, 118 out of 600 soldiers die

‘Half a league, half a league, half a league onward’

Replicates rhythm of horses hooves - gives the impression that the horses are unstoppable
Repetiton of how far they are travelling creates a sense of exposure and vulnerability

‘Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die’

Rhyme and repetiton emphasise the soldiers obedience and lack of power, despite knowing they will almost certainly be killed

‘Canon to the right of them, canon to the left of them, cannon in front of them’

Repetition emphasises harsh military machinery surrounding them
Surrounded by enemy weapons
Replicates sounds of gunfire

‘Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell’

Personifies death and Hell - makes it seem like monsters the soldiers can’t escape
Shows how they are destined to die

‘When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made!’

Rhetorical question alludes to the poem being propaganda
Wild - adjective - brave or stupid
Doesn’t matter that they are lost - still noble

‘Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred’

Honour - shows the poem is glorifying war
Use of imperative closes the poem with the intention of glorifying the soldiers

What is the rhyme scheme like?

Repeated and rigid

What does the repetition show?

The lack of options, reflects rigidity of the army

What does the chronological structure do?

Makes it more immersive

Why is the pace fast?

Reflects speed of the cavalry

What does the epiphora of ‘six hundred’ do?

Highlights the number who were brave enough to risk their lives

Why does Tennyson use euphemisms instead of directly referring to death?

As poet laureate, it his job to avoid presenting the reality of battle

How does the poem start?

In media res - straight into action, makes atmosphere more tense

What is the main idea of the poem?

Conflict is glorious and noble