Charge Of The Light Brigade

Question 1

‘Into the valley of death rode the six hundred.’

Answer 1

-‘Valley of death’ is a biblical allusion, referring to the protection from God that the soldiers should be receiving - however, it may also be a juxtaposition of the allusion, foreshadowing loss of hope and inevitably death.
-This emphasises the large-scale attack, making the poem more solemn and significant - this makes the reader empathise with the soldiers, admiring them for their bravery.

Repetition of ‘rode the six hundred’ throughout the poem to create tension and to keep their honour, even in death.

Question 2

‘Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.’

Answer 2

-Anaphora displays the obedience of the soldiers and their duty even whilst walking into inevitable death - this maintains their honour.
-The speaker is shocked by the stupidity of the order but nonetheless respects the soldiers for being committed to their role and duty.
-Repetition of ‘Theirs’ objectifies them, making them seem more symbolic than human. This presents their impending doom.

Question 3

‘Rode the six hundred’

Answer 3

-repetition of the line emphasises they are ONE group and have ONE purpose. Also shows the amount of people in the war (CONTEXT).
-First 3 stanzas repeat this to create a foreboding sense, but the last 3 don’t, representing the death of the six hundred or that they no longer remain.

Question 4

FORM of COTLB

Answer 4

-Written in the form of a ballad, used to commemorate a story. The poem acts as a memorial for the people who were killed in the conflict. (THEME OF WAR AND HEORISM)

-Six stanzas, each stanza progresses the story of the attack ( each stanza may be a memorial stone for 100 hundred men of the 600 )

Question 5

STRUCTURE of COTLB

Answer 5

-Dactylic dimeter is used which reinforces the sense of inevitability and chaos by the irregular rhyme scheme.
The oddness of the dimeter shows the relentless nature of conflict; soldiers had no choice but to obey the orders they were given.

-Use of anaphora shows the inhibiting nature of the conflict that prevents individualism of the soldiers.

Question 6

CONTEXT of COTLB

Answer 6

-Battle of Balaclava ( part of Crimean War ) which included around 600 British Soldiers in conflict.
-Tennyson was poet laureate at the time of writing; he could bot openly criticise British systems and institutions, however, he indirectly criticises Lord Raglan (man in charge of the soldiers) as the order he gave caused many deaths.
-Allusions to Christianity would’ve been adequate and comforting for Victorian readers.