Charge of the light brigade Flashcards
Context
About the Crimean war (unpopular)
Generals received incorrect info so army of 600 rode head on into Russian cannons with no other protection to their death
Due to new war reports the public read what happened and were outraged
He personally had bad experience with upper class people
Motivations
Wanted to lift public spirits and commend the bravery of the soldiers
Criticise the army generals (upper class who payed their way there) for their incompetent
Also criticise mindless obedience
Do both at the same time
What happens in the poem?
Cavalry is riding forward
However they realise it’s dangerous, yet must comply
Shows vicious attack on them
They begin fighting Russians
They then retreat back and attacked again
Only a few survived
What form is the poem written in?
Ballad = told like a story to music
Has a refrain/ chorus
Effect of writing a ballad
Has story telling routes as if you’d pass it onto generations
So you never forget bravery but also a cautionary tale of group thinking
Almost creates awe inspiring folklore
Dactylic diameter
‘FORward, the / LIGHT brigade!’
Stressed syllable followed by 2 non stressed
This happens twice per line for every line in the poem
Effect of dactylic diameter
Mirrors galloping of horses so the reader feels awe inspired as if they were there
Also the falling rhythm reflects the soldiers excitement dying as they realise they are doomed
What doesn’t follow dactylic diameter
‘Someone had blundered’
Because after ‘blund’ there’s only 1 more syllable not 2
Importance of 1 line not following the syllable pattern
‘blundered’ = in the news report that inspired his writing and couldn’t stop thinking about it
Stresses that someone made an error
Also as if the horses made sudden stop from galloping
Biblical imagery
‘Valley of Death’
Bible verse from lord is my shepherd
Effect of biblical imagery
Show how awe inspiring and heroic the army is
Repetition
‘Theirs not to make reply
Theirs not to reason why
Theirs but to do and die’
Effect of repetition
Shows that they have no authority to question and it’s not their right to have freedom
Makes us remember a cautionary tale of authority
‘Wondered’
Double meanings:
We are in wonder of the braver
We wonder about how authority has control over us
