The Charge of the Light Brigade

• Charge of the Light Brigade

  A poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson about a large brigade of soldiers commanded to march to their deaths, who charge heroically but with few remaining as they retreat
• The opening


  • In medias res - The unprepared listener is thrust into the action with the repetition of "Half a league". This establishes a tense atmosphere from the onset which causes the listener to view the poem through the lens of threat and risk.
• "Charge of the Light Brigade"

  The poem is representative of a literal charge which is reflected in the title. The light brigade charged at a stationary Russian cavalry who only has to stand and shoot, which could be representative of the power imbalance between the two. "Charge" has a double meaning which could be interpreted as Tennyson charging the leaders of his country with the deaths of so many people.
• Structure and form


  • Ballad form - This poem takes on the form of a ballad which is a historic poetry form used to commemorate a story for future generations to hear. This poem fits this purpose and acts to memorialise the people who were killed.
  • Dactylic dimeter - Tennyson uses dactylic dimeter (a long syllable followed by two short syllables) to mirror the rhythm of a horse running into battle. This unrelenting rhythm implies that the soldiers have no choice but to run into battle or that they are blindly obeying orders. The meter could also be interpreted to be used to create satirical humour as it is often seen as a lighthearted rhythm.
  • Rhyme scheme - The rhyme scheme is irregular and there are rhyming couplets between indented lines. The couplets create a sense of inevitability however, chaos is introduced by the irregular rhyme scheme.