THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE by

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Prepared by : Fitriah Bin1 Hassan

SMK Agama Matang2, Kuching

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ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON (6 August 1809 6 October 1892)

Tennyson was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England

He was one of the most well-loved Victorian poets

He was the Poet Laureate for United Kingdom from 1850 to 1892

He wrote famous books like In Memoriam A.H.H. and many poems like "Morte d'Arthur", "The Two Voices" and "The Vision of Sin".

In 1829 he was awarded with the Chancellor's Gold Medal for his literary works.

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The Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War

Date : 25 October 1854 Place : This battle took place on the southern Crimean coast in the Ukraine.

Who fought in the war? It was fought by an alliance of Britain, France, Turkey and Sardinia against Russia. Why did it break out? Russia was expanding into the Danube region Romania today- which was under Turkish control. Therefore, Turkey and Russia went to war in 1853, and the following year Britain and France fearful of Russian expansion. Britain and France feared Russia would continue pushing down, and eventually come into British India through Afghanistan.

The Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War

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The Charge of the Light Brigade was a charge of British light cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War.

Lord Raglan, overall commander of the British forces, had intended to send the Light Brigade to attack a retreating Russian artillery battery. Due to miscommunication, the Light Brigade was instead sent on a frontal assault against a different artillery battery, one well-prepared with excellent fields of defensive fire.

Although the Light Brigade reached the battery under withering direct fire and scattered some of the gunners, the badly mauled brigade was forced to retreat immediately. Thus, the assault ended with very high British casualties and no decisive gains.

The events are best remembered as the subject of the poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Published just six weeks after the event. Its lines emphasize the valour of the cavalry in bravely carrying out their orders, regardless of the obvious outcome. Blame for the miscommunication has remained controversial, as the original order itself was vague.

Half a league half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred: 'Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns' he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!' Was there a man dismayed ? Not though the soldier knew Some one had blundered: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die, Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volleyed & thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell Rode the six hundred

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A league is an old way to measure distance, and it was equal to about 3 miles. So half a league is roughly a mile and a half. It explains that the cavalry moved a mile and a half in a single move.

Stanza1 Lines 1-2

Half a league half a league, Half a league onward,

The rhythm sounds like galloping horses' hooves. It also sounds like a military march: Left! Left! Left, right, left!

The rhythm also makes the reader sounds exhausted, like he is at the end of a race, just trying to force himself through the last few laps.

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Stanza 1 Lines 3 All in the Valley of Death

It suggests that the cavalry soldiers were in a losing ba*le and that they might lose their lives in the baDle. The baDle was like the Valley of Death.

It suggests that death was all around the soldiers and that they could not escape from it. The Russian gunmen were at the head of the valley looking down from a strong vantage point at the cavalry; the BriMsh had liDle hope of victory.

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Stanza 1 Lines 4

Rode the six hundred

There were six hundred people and they were riding, probably on horseback.

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Stanza 1 Lines 5-6

'Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!' he said.

Due to miscommunicaMon, The Commanding ocer ordered The Light Brigade to move forward on a frontal assault against a well-prepared arMllery baDery.

Frontal assault is a direct, hos1le movement of forces toward the front of an enemy force. By targe1ng the enemy's front, the aEackers are subjec1ng themselves to the maximum defensive power of the enemy. Before the 19th century, a frontal assault against a thin line could be eec1ve when conducted by horse cavalry. FIT/SMKAM/02/2015

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Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the

guns!

Stanza 1 Lines 7-8

into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.

The brigade had been ordered into the valley, and they were riding in, even though they knew that guns and "Death" were waiMng for them.

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Stanza2

Lines 9

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"

The men were being sent to their doom. This makes us pause and think about why these brave men were being sent into "the valley of Death."

RepeaMng the command from line 5 shows the commanding ocer was determined there was no going back.

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Stanza2

Lines 10 Was there a man dismay'd?

The commanding ocer asked if any of the soldiers were "dismayed."

In this case, to be dismayed means to lose your courage, to be overcome by terror or sadness.

That would be a normal reacMon to anyone in a situaMon like this.

Of course the Light Brigade was too tough and loyal to feel dismayed.

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Stanza2

Lines 11-12 Not though the soldier knew

Someone had blundered.

That rst word, "not," implies that these men didn't feel discouraged at all. They were ready to do their job, even though the order (to charge the arMllery baDery) might be crazy.

The soldiers were not dumb. They knew this charge wasn't a good idea, that someone had made a mistake, had "blundered" (made a stupid and clumsy mistake).

The poet criMcized the men who ordered this aDack.

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Stanza2

Lines 13 - 15 Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die.

They were just doing their job even though they knew they would certainly be killed. That job did not permit them to talk back to their commanders ("make reply") or to gure out the point of the aDack ("reason why"). All they could do was to ride and ght and possibly die ("do and die").

The soldiers realised the order was a mistake but did what they were told because it was their duty to obey orders.

The poet admires the bravery and sacrice of the men and in disbelief by the stupidity of the order.

Stanza2

Lines 16 - 17 Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.

These last two lines are the same as the last two lines in the rst stanza.

It emphasises that these men were riding to their death.

The Light Brigade was ordered to advance into a valley surrounded by enemy soldiers. The cavalry were only armed with swords, whereas the Russian soldiers had guns.

The Light Brigade were virtually defenceless against their enemies, and many of them were killed.

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Stanza 3

Lines 18 20 Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them

The soldiers were surrounded by enemy cannon, le\, right, and front.

The repeMMon of the words 'Cannon' sounds like explosives. The poet made it clear that they were surrounded by powerful weapons and that there was very liDle chance of them surviving. FIT/SMKAM/02/2015

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Volleyed and thundered;

The word "volley" from a cannon suggests a round of r ing (simultaneous discharge of a number of missile weapons).

These huge walls of cannon all around them are ring, and making a sound like thunder.

Stanza 3

Lines 21

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Stanza 3

Lines 22

Stormed at with shot and shell,

The soldiers in the Light Brigade were being "stormed at," by gunre.

The "shot" (bullets) and "shell" (big explosives red from cannon) are a violent, noisy, destrucMve force that reminds the speaker of a storm.

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Stanza 3

Lines 23 Boldly they rode and well,

These guys were not scared of the gunre. In fact, they rode "boldly" (bravely) even though it seemed more and more like a suicide mission. The poet admires the soldiers because they were brave and skilful despite the horrors they faced. This shows us how heroic these men were.

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Stanza 3

Lines 24-26

Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of hell Rode the six hundred

Now the valley of Death becomes the "jaws of Death" and "the mouth of hell".

It was as if the soldiers were riding into the mouth of ferocious monsters that they could not escape from.

The jaws of Death brings an image of inescapability the men had been gripped by a monster and Death was waiMng for them.

The mouth of Hell also brings an image of sheer horror. It is as if the earth has opened up to swallow the men they will die terribly. The mens lives had been snatched from them suddenly and violently.

RepeMMon of "the six hundred" in each stanza gives the idea of the large numbers of men involved. It also creates an image of a chaoMc baDle.

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The Charge of the Light Brigade Themes

1. Warfare It describes the confusion, the terror, the bloodshed in a war. It also describes the heroism and excitement of armed combat. 2. Courage The soldiers of the Light Brigade were courageous. Every one of them charged forward to the enemy line bravely. They knew exactly how dangerous and hopeless the job was, but they did it anyway.

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The Charge of the Light Brigade Themes

3. Death Many of the brave soldiers in the Light Brigade died in this baDle. 4. Duty The soldiers in the Light Brigade were just doing their job; they were soldiers and it was their duty to ght. That's what makes them heroic, but it makes their deaths tragic. 5. Honour and respect The poet wants the memory of the soldiers of the Light Brigade to live forever, to be honoured and respected.

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light cavalry

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A troop of armies comprises of lightly armed and lightly armored soldiers riding on horses. The missions of the light cavalry were primarily screening and communicaMng, and were usually armed with spears, swords, bows.

arMllery baDery

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A unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate beDer baDleeld communicaMon and command and control

cannons

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