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• The Charge of the Light Brigade was written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and published in 1854.

• It tells the true story of a misunderstood order which lead to the unnecessary deaths of many British soldiers in the Battle of Balaclava, during the Crimean War.

• The Charge of the Light Brigade is a narrative poem, consisting of six stanzas, and written in the form of a ballad.

• Tennyson uses a regular rhythm and repetition to mirror the relentless motion of the soldiers charging on horseback.

In the poetry section of your English Literature exam, you will be asked to compare two poems. Listen to this podcast to hear an example of how you could approach this task.

In this episode, writer and rapper Testament and poet Jane Weir, compare the context, form and themes of the poems The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Poppies by Jane Weir.

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Context

Tennyson was inspired to write The Charge of the Light Brigade because of a real-life event that happened during the Crimean War.

The Crimean War was fought between Russia and a group of countries including the Ottoman empire, Britain, France and Sardinia from 1853 to 1856. The war started over disputes between Russia and the Ottoman Empire about protection and the power of specific religious groups.

The Crimean War is often described as the first media war. For the first time in history, newspapers carried eye-witness reports, detailing not just the triumphs of war, but the reality – the horrors and mistakes as well.

The poem

The Times newspaper's correspondent William Howard Russell used the then-modern technology of electric telegraph to send messages from the front line. Russell reported on an event during the Crimean War where around 600 soldiers from the Light Brigade charged at a heavily defended position due to a misunderstood order. Many died or were wounded and there was never a definite answer as to whose fault the mistake was.

Tennyson wrote The Charge of the Light Brigade shortly after this happened, so the shock and frustration felt by many at the unnecessary deaths of the soldiers would have been very fresh.

Tennyson wanted to draw attention to the horrors that soldiers faced during the Crimean War and to the futility of war in general. As he was the poet laureate at the time, he would have been expected, and often asked, to write about topical subjects and current events.

The poem tells the story of the soldiers charging, despite knowing that something is wrong.

Propaganda is often used during war to stoke patriotism and make soldiers and the public believe that they are fighting with honour for a worthy cause.

Before the Crimean War, there were limited ways to communicate with soldiers on the front lines, so the public didn’t know what the reality of war was truly like.

Developments in media and communication meant that the Crimean War was different, and reporters were able to comment on events more quickly and accurately. Rather than glamorise warfare, people wanted to show the realities faced on the battlefield.

Tennyson describes the horror of close combat in The Charge of the Light Brigade. He describes how soldiers:

• “Plunged in the battery-smoke” (smoke caused by the cannons)

• “Reeled from the sabre stroke” (sabres are long swords with curved blades)

• Were “Shattered and sundered” (broken in two)

This paints a more realistic and horrific picture of warfare than the more heroic portrayals which the public would have been used to at the time.

The Light Brigade were, as their name suggested, only lightly armoured and were not intended to advance into heavy battle. When the misunderstood order was given however, the Light Brigade obeyed blindly.

“Theirs not to make reply,Theirs not to reason why,Theirs but to do and die”.

Tennyson makes it clear that the soldiers were following their orders dutifully when they rode into the “Valley of Death” – demonstrating their unswerving patriotism and keeping their honour. In the final stanza, he uses the imperative “Honour the charge they made” and repeats that we should “Honour the Light Brigade” for their loyalty and bravery in the face of certain death.

The word "Death" is repeated throughout the poem.

• First Tennyson writes about the “Valley of Death”, suggesting the inevitability of the soldiers dying once they charge.

• He then personifies it when he writes “the jaws of Death”. Personifying death in this way likens it to an animal or monster, capable of devouring the soldiers. It seems to be alive and waiting for them – with no chance of their escape.

Despite the almost certain death that they face, the soldiers do not show fear. Their patriotism compels them to follow orders, even if futile. Tennyson uses the rhetorical question “Was there a soul dismayed?” asking whether any of the soldiers were upset by the command, but the response is no – even though they must have known a mistake was made and they were riding into certain death.

The soldiers’ certainty and belief in their commanders, contrasts with the response back home. Tennyson says that “All the world wondered” and states the accusation that “Someone had blundered” suggesting that the reality of war was becoming apparent and that attitudes were starting to turn.

In poetry, language relates to anything in connection with words and the way they are used.

Personification

Tennyson uses personification throughout the poem to highlight the danger that the soldiers are charging towards.

The phrase “the jaws of Death” creates the image of death as an animal or monster, capable of devouring the soldiers. It seems to be alive and waiting for them – with no chance of their escape.

Similarly, “mouth of hell” could also be interpreted as personification suggesting that the soldiers are going to be swallowed up into hell (war) and never seen again.

Semantic field

Semantic field refers to groups of words which have similar meanings or are about a similar topic.

In this poem, there is a semantic field of violence and death. For example, Tennyson repeats words like ���𲹳ٳ�” and “Hell”. Words such as “die”, “guns” and “sabres” are also used to paint a picture of the violent reality of the war.

Tennyson’s verb choices also sit within a semantic field of violence. For instance, verbs like “thundered”, “stormed”, “flashed” and “plunged” which, again, all highlight the horrors of the battlefield.

In poetry, structure relates to anything in connection to the layout and organisation.

Repetition

Repetition is used to represent the charging motion and the inevitability of the danger waiting for the soldiers.

Stanzas

A stanza is a series of lines arranged together in a poem.

In The Charge of the Light Brigade there are six stanzas to represent the 600 soldiers in the Light Brigade. This reinforces Tennyson’s message that the 600 soldiers should be remembered for their bravery.

Stanzas four and five are longer than the other stanzas. Stanza five, in particular, describes the Light Brigade at the height of their battle and the length of the stanza perhaps reflects the intensity of their fight.

The final stanza is the shortest and serves to summarise and reiterate Tennyson’s message – that we should remember the “noble six hundred”.

Rhyme and rhythm

There is no consistent rhyme scheme in The Charge of the Light Brigade. Tennyson may have done this for various reasons, for example, to imitate the unpredictability of warfare or to mimic the uncertainty of the soldiers.

The metre, or rhythm, of the poem isn’t consistent either. The syllables on each line vary between 5 and 7, again suggesting unpredictability.

In poetry, form is the type of poem that the poet has chosen to write.

Narrative poem

The Charge of the Light Brigade is a narrative poem because it tells a story and does not follow a set pattern of rhyme or rhythm.

It also features aspects of the ballad. A ballad is a poetic form, traditionally used in narrative poetry. Ballads normally feature repetition and rhyme, and were written to be remembered, read or sung aloud, often to music.

The repetitive nature of The Charge of the Light Brigade makes it particularly memorable, supporting Tennyson’s aim of encouraging his audience to remember and honour the Light Brigade.

Remember

• Read the question carefully. Highlight the key words and focus of the question.

• Make a plan. Annotate the poem or create a short list of points you could make, supported by evidence. This will help you to stay focused and relevant.

• Analyse features. When you identify a feature, always consider why it has been used and what effect it creates.

• Reread your answer. Keep checking that you are on topic throughout the writing process.

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Making comparisons

You will need to write your response using comparative connectives, such as:

• Similarly
• Likewise
• However
• In contrast

In the exam

This poem could be assessed in the anthology poetry part of the exam.

You will be asked to compare a named poem with a poem of your choice.

The choice must be from the cluster of poems you have studied. The named poem will be provided.

This question assesses AO2 and AO3:

Test your understanding of The Charge of the Light Brigade by taking this quiz.