1️⃣ The Charge Of The Light Brigade

Question 1

Who wrote TCOTLB?

Answer 1

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Question 2

When is TCOTLB set?

Answer 2

The Crimean War, The Battle of Balaclava

Question 3

What happened in TCOTLB?

Answer 3

A miscommunication resulted in soldiers being sent on a ‘suicide’ frontal assault against Russian and Cossack forces
There were high British casualties and no benefits

Question 4

Why was TCOTLB published?

Answer 4

It was published 10 weeks after to change the publics perception of the battle

Question 5

What role did Alfred Lord Tennyson have and what were the consequences of this?

Answer 5

Poet laureate
Wasn’t able to openly criticise the generals and government
Poem is used as a form of political propaganda, intending to change the publics perception about the military disaster

Question 6

What are the main themes in TCOTLB?

Answer 6

(Blind) Patriotism, heroism and bravery- immortalising their sacrifice and glorifying their death

Question 7

When was the Battle of Balaclava?

Answer 7

25th October 1854

Question 8

‘Charge’, ‘plunged’, ‘reeled’, ‘shattered’, ‘broke’

Answer 8

Semantic field of movement
Represents/imitates the charge itself like the dactylic diameter represents horse moose’s or drum beats. It reinforces this idea of propaganda; war is exciting and fast paced!

Question 9

‘Charge’, ‘boldly’, ‘glory’, ‘hero’, ‘noble’

Answer 9

Semantic field of bravery and honour
Poem is a form of propaganda- presenting soldiers as brave and noble despite it being their duty and the outcome

Question 10

‘Air’, ‘smoke’, ‘thunder’d’, ‘flash’d’

Answer 10

Semantic field of storms
Emphasises the destruction of war in a sensory way

Question 11

‘Wonder’d’, ‘blunder’d’, ‘dismay’d’

Answer 11

Semantic field of uncertainty
These phrases are incongruous in relation to rest of the poem
Despite having portrayed war as positive due to his role as poet laureate, Tennyson subtly indicates the realties of war- a single mistake can lead to momentous casualties

Question 12

‘Valley of death’

Answer 12

Repeated throughout poem
Metaphor that creates a sense of danger and adventure
Recognise reality of death, connotations of adventure and bravery
Biblical allusion (Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil)

Question 13

In stanza 1, rhyme, repetition, refrain …

Answer 13

Increases pace
Repetition specifically makes it seem like a military chant

Question 14

In stanza 1, dactylic rhythm imitates…

Answer 14

Fast paced, exciting sounds of battle

Question 15

‘ “Forward the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said:’

Answer 15

Direct speech makes it seem dramatic and immersive

Question 16

‘Someone had blunder’d’

Answer 16

Brief allusion to reality of battle
Understatement minimises the mistakes of the general

Question 17

In stanza 2,
“Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs ing to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die”

Answer 17

Collective pronoun ‘theirs’ groups soldiers so they don’t get seen as individuals
Anaphoric creates a faster pace
Role of the soldier is unquestioning obedience (blind patriotism)

Question 18

In stanza 3,
“Cannon to the right of them,
Cannon to the left of them,
Cannon in front of them”

Answer 18

Anaphora and epistrophe replicates claustrophobia and evokes a sense of danger

Question 19

In stanza 3,
“Storm’d at with shot and shell”

Answer 19

Sibilants imitates sounds of shots

Question 20

In stanza 3,
“Jaws of death
…. Mouth of Hell.”

Answer 20

Metaphors sound adventurous and dangerous

Question 21

“rode the six hundred”

Answer 21

Refrain of six hundred emphasises lack of numbers

Question 22

In stanza 4,
“Flash’d all their sabres bare,
Flash’d as they turn’d in air’

Answer 22

Anaphora replicates non stop fighting and violence of battle
Visual imagery of the soldiers

Question 23

In stanza 4,
“While
All the world wonder’d”

Answer 23

Incongruous
World questions their actions

Question 24

In stanza 4,
“Plunged in the battery-smoke”

Answer 24

Cinematic

Question 25

In stanza 4,
“Then they ride back, but not
Not the six hundred”

Answer 25

Anadiplosis slows the pace
Indirect allusion to not all soldiers surviving

Question 26

In stanza 5,
“While horse and hero fell”

Answer 26

Euphemism for death

Question 27

In stanza 5,
“All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.”

Answer 27

Pace slows creating a sense of ending and death

Question 28

In stanza 6,
“When can their glory fade?”

Answer 28

Rhetorical question evokes a sense of glorified death, immortalising their sacrifice

Question 29

In stanza 6,
“Honour the charge they made!
Honour the light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.”

Answer 29

Anaphora of imperative verbs immortalises their sacrifice
Glorifies death in the name of patriotism