the charge of the light brigade - alfred lord tennyson Flashcards
Give a plot summary for The Charge of the Light Brigade.
the charge of the light brigade - alfred lord tennyson:
- six hundred soldiers charged into battle from Britain towards Russian guns, into a valley, to initiate battle during the Crimean war
- there, they meet the enemy and are hugely disadvantaged, but the poem says they press on bravely
- the poem ends with a celebration for the bravery of the soldiers and how they should be remembered
When was The Charge of the Light Brigade written? Why is this relevant?
The Charge of the Light Brigade was written in 1854. This is relevant as this was just after the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean war, where Britain mistook a message and sent in troops, but were defeated. This is what the poem was based off of.
Why was it important that Tennyson wrote this poem?
Tennyson was made a Poet Laureate in 1850, so he was a representative for the whole of England. When the Battle of Balaclava happened, it was sensationalised and it was seen as a massive defeat, so Tennyson had a duty to make the situation seem better than it was, and that is why he wrote the poem.
Give six key quotes from The Charge of the Light Brigade.
the charge of the light brigade - alfred lord tennyson:
- “half a league onward” x3
- “theirs not to (x3)… reason why”
- “cannon to the left… right… in front of them”
- “into the jaws of Death… mouth of Hell”
- “they had fought so well”
- “rode the/left of the/noble six hundred!”
Give five relevant points about structure or form in The Charge of the Light Brigade.
the charge of the light brigade - alfred lord tennyson:
- ballad (how stories were passed down in the past)
- six stanzas
- dactylic dimeter (replicates sound of horse hooves)
- refrain
- inconsistent rhyme
Give three key themes present in The Charge of the Light Brigade.
the charge of the light brigade - alfred lord tennyson:
- pride and glory
- inequality
- effects of war
