Summary
Lines 1-4:
The opening lines of the poem immediately immerse the reader in the midst of
the action, featuring a stirring chant that propels the reader towards the
battle with its vivid description and brisk rhythm. A "league" is roughly three
miles: galloping horses could traverse half a league in just a few minutes.
Contemporary audiences would have recognized the reference to the Battle of
Balaclava during the Crimean War, understanding from the outset that the
soldiers were charging towards their doom. (The poem soon reveals that the six
hundred cavalrymen of the Light Brigade were aware of this fate themselves.)
The poem implies that the moments before the battle began represent the
Brigade's greatest glory. The term "Valley of Death" alludes to an episode in
John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and to Psalm 23 from the Old
Testament: both sources highlight how faith can embolden people in the face of
death.
Lines 5-8:
In the first published version of this poem, appearing in the London
Examiner on December 9, 1854, the command to charge forward was
attributed to Lord Nolan, a notable military figure of that era. By changing
the speaker to an unnamed "he," the poet shifts the poem's focus from
individual actions and decisions to broader themes of historical record and the
dynamics between leaders and followers in military contexts. Additionally, this
final version of the poem alters the command from "Take the guns" to "Charge
for the guns!" This change amplifies the sense of danger in the charge, while
leaving the rationale for advancing into the gunfire unstated.
Lines 9-12:
As soon as line 9 reiterates the command that sends the Light Brigade to their
fate, line 10 prompts the reader to consider whether any soldiers felt fear
upon hearing it. While we often associate "dismay" with "shock" today, its
meaning also includes a loss of courage. By posing this as a question and then
answering that no, there was no fear, Tennyson allows the reader a moment to
fully appreciate the soldiers' bravery. Lines 11 and 12 make it clear that
every member of the Brigade understood that the order was a mistake. This
paradox—that the soldiers knew they were likely to die because of a strategic
"blunder," yet charged forward without fear—adds psychological depth to the
poem, which would be lost if it merely celebrated the loyalty of soldiers
unaware of the faulty command they were following.
Lines 13-17:
Lines 13 through 15 echo each other, emphasizing the rules these soldiers abide
by. The repetitive style mirrors the regimented, militaristic mindset of the
Light Brigade as they advance. This strong repetition serves to overshadow any
concerns about the blunder mentioned in the previous stanza. The phrase "Theirs
but to do and die" suggests that the soldiers are expected to die—an idea that
might seem contradictory to the purpose of fighting. However, Tennyson
clarifies that this is the soldiers' belief, viewing such a fate as the
ultimate expression of loyalty. In lines 16 and 17, the perspective shifts from
the soldiers' thoughts about their mission to a broader view of the battle,
once again invoking the image of the "Valley of Death."
Lines 18-21:
The first three lines of this stanza are nearly identical, differing only in
the placement of the cannons. This presents a visual layout of the battlefield,
rather than just stating that cannons were everywhere. By repeating the phrase
three times, the poem not only conveys the overwhelming odds against the Light
Brigade but also evokes a sense of encirclement.
Lines 22-26:
The word "Stormed" in line 22 builds on the image of...
(This entire section contains 1193 words.)
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"thundered" from the previous line, making the cannon fire seem like a natural force. Line 23 highlights the bravery of the Light Brigade soldiers and their horsemanship, though their skill is mentioned almost as an afterthought and is the only mention of it in the poem. This is because the poem focuses more on the soldiers' attitude than their ability. In lines 24-26, Tennyson expands the phrase used at the end of the first two stanzas: instead of the geographical "Valley of Death," he uses the metaphor "jaws of Death" and extends it with "mouth of hell." By equating death with hell and portraying both as real as an animal's attack, the poem intensifies the brutality of death on the battlefield.
Lines 27-38:
This stanza celebrates the Light Brigade's initial dominance in the battle.
Charging into the enemy, they wield their sabres against foes armed with
cannons and pistols, successfully breaking through the front line of defense.
The pistols and rifles of that era were ineffective for the Light Brigade
because reloading them involved a complex process of measuring gunpowder and
pellets, an impossible task for a cavalryman. Sending a cavalry unit into a
narrow valley against artillery was so clearly futile that this may be the
reason behind the line "all the world wondered" in the midst of the intense
battle scene, rather than the brigade's initial success. In this stanza, the
Light Brigade exerts such overwhelming control that their adversaries, the
Cossacks and Russians, find their defensive line "shattered and sundered" and
are forced to retreat, while the six hundred cavalrymen, who have already faced
down cannons and guns, continue to advance courageously.
Lines 39-49:
The first five lines of this stanza dispel any optimism the reader might have
derived from the Light Brigade's early triumph. By repeating the same words
from stanza 3 (with the cannon now behind them instead of ahead), the poem
reinstates the same sense of hopelessness that was present before the battle
commenced. The brief victory in the fourth stanza has not altered the overall
outcome of the battle. When these words were first used (lines 18-22), they
concluded with a statement of the soldiers' bravery and skill; this time, they
end with the soldiers (referred to plainly as "heroes") being gunned down. The
path the Light Brigade charged into—the jaws of death, the mouth of hell—is
mentioned again as the survivors make their escape. Anthropologists and
sociologists have noted that the theme of descending into hell and returning is
common in the mythology of many cultures worldwide, including one of the
best-known Western myths, the labors of Hercules. The survivors of this battle
are thus elevated to heroic status by the poem's depiction of the valley's
entrance.
Lines 50-55:
In this stanza, the poem's focus transitions from depicting the battle scene to
directly engaging the reader. By using the word "wild" to describe the charge
in Line 51, it suggests that reckless bravery is commendable in itself,
irrespective of strategy or success. The repetition of "All the world wondered"
in Line 52 emphasizes that the soldiers' actions are beyond ordinary
comprehension; they follow a code that those prioritizing intellect over
loyalty might not grasp. Although the poem's tone leaves little doubt about how
we should feel about these cavalrymen, it does not depend on the reader's grasp
of tonal nuances. Instead, it explicitly instructs the reader in lines 53 and
55 to honor these soldiers. The poem's directness indicates it was crafted for
a general, often uneducated audience, celebrating the deeds of common soldiers
who better understood their mission than the inept military strategists who
devised the attack.