chargeofthelightbrigade


 * __The Charge of The Light Brigade[[image:charge.jpg align="right" caption="The Charge"]] - Alfred Tennyson__

Use the notes below and the ideas from the Powerpoint at the bottom of the page to plan your coursework commentary on this poem.

__Background__**

This poem was written about an event at the battle of Balaclava, where the Light Brigade charged towards the Russian cannons becuase they had been given the wrong order by mistake.

The poet, Alfred Tennyson, read a very short newspaper report on the battle in "The Times" and wrote the poem in response.

It covers a very minor battle in the Crimean War in 1854. It caused no particular outcry at the time, but the outrageous waste of life and the questioning of patriotism, bravery and honour lives on becuase it was recorded in verse.

The poem does not focus on an individual soldier. The whole brigade is written about, making us as readers, not identify with any single tragedy as the poem is rather impersonal in the sense that no soldier is named and we know nothing of the feelings of the soldiers. They are referred to as being very brave, and honourable, but we are not invited to have any sense of personal suffering.

"Into the valley of death rode the six hundred".

We understand that it is a soldier's duty to obey orders and even knowing taht they were very likely to be killed, no questions were asked and the Brigade followed orders.


 * __Themes__**

The main theme of the poem is honour and glory. The voice praises the unquestioning soldiers and sees them only as a fighting body. Throughout the poem they are praised for their bravery. He feels that their names are unimportant, as they are unimportant as individuals, but the memory of the Brigade should live for ever more. The poem is like a memorial to their bravery and honour, in that they did not question orders.

"Their's not to make reply, their's but to do and die"

The soldiers are never named. their names are not known but the memory of the battle lives on because of this poem.


 * __Poetic Devices__**

The poet uses repetition to stress his point that the soldiers did not question orders and the factthat they were very brave. He refers constantly to the number of men in the Brigade.

"Into the valley of death, Rode the six hundred."

The stress put on the number six hundred brings home to modern readers that all these men were of one mind. Not one of them appears to have challenged the order.


 * __Use of Language__**

Some of the language used is very archaic or old fashioned. We read the poem and had to look in the dictionary to find that a 'league', a unit of measurement was about three miles. We are not used to being able to judge distances, but the soldiers would have needed this information as a fighting force.

"Half a league, Half a league onward."

The use of specific vocabulary for weapons like swords, sabres and measurements indicates the historic context of the poem.


 * Use of Rhetorical Questions**

There are a number of rhetorical questions in the poem. These are questions that do not need an answer and are used to emphasise a point. What do you think the poet was trying to say by using rhetorical questions.


 * __Imagery In The Poem__**

The imagery in the poem is very vivid and these convey the danger and destruction of the charge that the Brigade made.

"Stormed at with shot and shell/ into the jaws of death"

"Valley of death/mouth of hell/shattered and sundered"

The voice tells us that this was a destructive and bloody battle. The imagery of the 'mouth of hell' and 'jaws of death' gives us the impression that the soldiers were trapped, about to be devoured almost. Their fate was certain it seems.


 * __Conclusion__**

Do you agree with Tennyson? Should we honour the charge they made or do you feel differently? Should the soldiers have questioned the misguided order? You must refer to these ideas in your conclusion.


 * Use the above ideas to create your coursework commentary, developing your ideas and showing further understanding oif the poem. Use the headings to separate your work.

You may get further ideas from the Powerpoint below. Download it and use it as another tool to help you with your coursework commentary.**


 * __Watch Lord Tennyson Read "Charge of the Light Brigade" on YouTube__**

You can listen to Tennyson read this poem by clicking on his picture below.

media type="youtube" key="EI4uydeGDmA" width="425" height="350"