The charge of the Light Brigade

• "the valley of Death"
• "Rode the six hundred"
• "some one had blundered"
• "theirs not to make reply,

  Theirs not to reason why,

  Theirs but to do and die"
• "jaws of Death,... Mouth of Hell"
• "the valley of Death"

  • Refrain: biblical allusion to passage from the bible:

  'through I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death, I fear not evil'

  • A place of fear and temptation, but god's faith protects them
  • Unusual bravery in face of stark and dire terror ( Russian artillery)
• "someone had blundered"

  • "Someone" : not named
  • Subtle suggestion the blame of this military disaster lies with leadership. Not exemplary soldiers
• "theirs not to make reply

  Theirs not to reason why

  Theirs but to do and die."

  • Repetition: parallel sentence structure - builds a sense of inevitability of their role
  • Alliteration: emphasises obedience by linking these as inextricable
  • Stresses that they respect their place in the hierarchy.
• "the six hundred"

  • Refrain:

  - subtle changes in refrain ( to emphasise tragic results of charge and the high price of bravery) , to track thri charge and retreat (most died in the attack)

  - measure of human loss
• "jaws of death... Mouth of hell"

  • "Death": becomes a ravenous, hungry creature
  • Metaphor
  • "Hell": connotes Torture, terror, punishment.
  • Are these the horrors of all war? Inevitable death?
  • Suicidal mission? Desperate & foolish.
• Who was charge of the light brigade written by?

  Alfred lord Tennyson
• Tennyson celebrates the heroism and bravery of the soldiers who sacrifice their lives in war.

  • The 600 soldiers who followed their orders despite the fatal outcome.
• Tennyson claims that heroism consists not only of bravery but also adherence to duty

  • In this case commitment to military hierarchy
• Tennyson also criticises the waste of life in war. Exposes the futility of war in the pointless deaths of so many young men.