charge of the light brigade

• Tennyson employs the pseudo-epic form in order to create an elevated and glorified portrayal of conflict and those involved in it, simultaneously depicting the violence of conflict whilst weaponising this to celebrate the ethos and blind obedience of the "noble six hundred"
• "Theirs not to reason why / Theirs but to do and die"


  anaphora - panegyrises soldiers' stoic patriotism

  songlike quality and dactylic dimeter is antithetical to conflict
• "someone had blundered"


  Tennyson served as Poet Laureate, arguably restricting his desire to lambast the "blunders" of Lord Raglan during the Battle of Balaclava, however the poem is clearly propaganda intended to evoke public patriotism and support for the war.
• "the six hundred"


  refrain - homogenous group devoid of individualism, combined with six regular stanzas amplifies the gravitas of their sacrifice
• "Into the jaws of Death / Into the mouth of hell"


  biblical allusion elevates the event to of great importance and glorifies the sacrifice