The Charge of the Light Brigade Analysis

• 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.
• 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.
• Repetition


  • The anaphora used in "theirs not to make reply/reason why"..."theirs but to do an die" reiterates the phrase and the soldiers' obedience (a desirable trait in Victorian England). The repetition also highlights the soldiers' lack of individualism. The use of epistrophe in "Rode the six hundred" focuses the listener on the topic of the poem as well as acting as a reprise for the ballad.
• Euphemisms


  • In order to soften the impact of the brutal battle, Tennyson uses euphemisms instead of explicitly referring to death. He states that "horse and hero fell" which is emphasised through his use of alliteration. The falling of the soldiers is accompanied by the falling rhythm of the dactylic dimeter. In his role as laureate, it was his job to avoid presenting the reality of battle.
• Metaphors


  • Tennyson's use of metaphors creates negative connotations for the listener. In "Jaws of death", "Jaws" has claustrophobic connotations, which imply that the soldiers will be 'eaten up' by or shredded by bullets. Similarly, the metaphor "Mouth of hell" creates the impression that there is no escape from the valley once it has been entered. This also alludes to the story of the Roman soldier, Curtius, who rode his horse into the mouth of hell and was killed sacrificially, saving Rome.
• Symbolism


  • The phrase "valley of death" is a biblical allusion from Psalm 23 which refers to the protection provided by God so is highly ironic when used in this context. This could be a criticism by Tennyson of how members of higher ranks should have protected those in the light brigade but they were instead forced to engage in dangerous conflict because of their low status. This phrase can also be considered to symbolise the inevitability of the tragedy, the image of a valley implies that the soldiers are penned in and surrounded on all sides by the opposition. The idea of soldiers returning "from the mouth of hell" links to the story of the harrying of hell. Jesus went into hell in order to receive the souls of those who had been condemned there to allow them to achieve salvation. This relates back to the soldiers in that they were sacrificing their own freedom for the freedom of those back at home.
• Ambiguity


  • Tennyson creates ambiguity in "all the world wondered" to cause the listener to question if "wondered" denotes admiration or doubt.