illustration of a soldier in traditional nineteenth century military garb

The Charge of the Light Brigade

by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

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Summary

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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.

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Analysis

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