The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
'The Charge of the Light Brigade' is one of Alfred Lord Tennyson's most famous poems. The setting is the Crimean War, where a brigade of 600 British soldiers were sent into a valley to attack a strong Russian force.
Charge of the Light Brigade by Richard Caton Woodville Jr., 1895. Image: Richard Caton Woodville Jr / Public domain
About the poet
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Like so many writers and poets, Tennyson took little interest in his school work and studies. He went to Cambridge, but he idled through his studies and never completed a degree. He sought company with friends who inspired him and encouraged him to follow his poetic vocation.
His early writing was not given much attention by his contemporary critics, but Tennyson was determined to succeed and worked indefatigably to perfect his art.
In the 1840s, he gradually won the acclaim of the reading public, and in 1850, he was appointed Poet Laureate by Queen Victoria.
Tennyson was very productive during his later life. He was a versatile writer; his writing includes poems, drama, essays and religious and philosophical reflections. His popularity and his contribution to Victorian literature have given him an indisputable position in the English literary tradition.
The historic background for the poem
The poem celebrates the heroism of cavalry soldiers who fought a battle in the Crimean war.
The Crimean war was a result of Britain and France wanting to prevent Russian expansion into the areas around the Black Sea. These areas belonged to the Ottoman Empire, which was in decline.
It was a slow and gruesome war, fought on horseback with sabres, with primitive guns, and with cannons that mutilated more than they killed. The British troops were badly organised and had not done much fighting since the Napoleonic Wars. On top of that, some of the British officers were only interested in glory for themselves, and had little regard for soldiers' lives if sacrificing them would bolster their own reputations.
The Crimean town Balaklava was held by British, French, and Ottoman forces, but the Russians mobilised a large unit and charged to recapture the town. The Russians were defeated, but both sides suffered great losses. During this battle, there was an incident where a small British cavalry unit, a light brigade, was sent into a valley to attack a Russian position. It was quite obvious that they did not stand a chance against the strong Russian unit, but the attack was launched anyway due to stubbornness and rivalry between high-ranking British officers.
The brigade was nearly wiped out; less than a third of the 600 men of the light brigade survived.
The Crimean War was the first war that was given day-to-day coverage in the newspapers, due to the newly invented telegraph.
The Charge of the Light Brigade
Half a league, half a league Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the Guns, he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred
Forward, the Light Brigade! Was there a man dismay'd? Not tho’ the soldier knew Someone had blunde'd Theirs not to make reply Theirs not to reason why Theirs but to do and die: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volley’d and thunder'd; Storm’d at with shot and shell, Boldly the rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell Rode the six hundred.
Flash'd all their sabres bare, Flash'd as they turn'd in air Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wonder'd Plunged in the battery-smoke Right thro' the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reel'd from the sabre-stroke Shatter'd and sunder'd Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volley'd and thunder'd Storm'd at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell, They that fought so well Came thro' the jaws of Hell, All that was left of them Left of the six hundred.
When can their glory fade O the wild charge they made! All the world wonder'd. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred.
Image: The Granger Collection, NTB scanpix / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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Write an analysis of the poem where you pay special attention to the use of rhyme.
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