Charge of the Light Brigade Flashcards
“All in the valley of Death.”
Metaphor - Soldiers are riding to certain death.
“Half a league.”
Repetition of phrase makes the reader imagine horses relentlessly galloping.
“Rode the six hundred.”
Refrain.
It’s repeated so that the reader remembers the brave 600 for their sacrifice.
“Not tho’ soldiers knew some one had blundered.”
Brings attention to the bad decision the generals made and that it cost the lives of the brave soldiers.
“Theirs not to make reply/ Theirs not to reason why/ Theirs but to do and die.”
Fast pace.
The soldiers were forced to obey orders by general even if they were wrong.
Shows that the upper class had control over the lower class.
“Cannon.”
Repetition of cannons surrounding them implies the inevitable deaths.
“Volley’d and thunder’d.”
Repetition of the phrase emphasises the image of the horses and the soldiers.
“Into the jaws of death/ into the mouth of Hell.”
Personifies valley as dangerous.
Suggests they’re trapped in the mouth of the beast.
“Charging an army, while all the world wonder’d.”
Alliteration emphasises the stupid decision made by the generals as it would result in death.
Alternatively, the world could be awe-struck by the bravery of the soldiers.
“Then they rode back, but not the six hundred.”
Real sense of the narrative being told and emphasises the amount of lives lost.
“Horse and hero fell.”
Alliteration highlight the amounts of lives lost due to the misuse of power.
Shows how brutal and ruthless the enemy was.
“Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade.”
Commanding the public not to forget them.
He admires what they did.
Structure
Narrative verse / Ballad.
Each stanza build onto the next one so enjambment is used to connect them.
Short final stanza - Could represent that not all the soldiers survived.
Dactylic diameter - Strong, weak, weak syllables to represent the galloping of hooves.
Context
Light Brigade were ordered to protect the big weapons from the Russians but charged at them. Cavalry - Higher social class and didn't fight much. Raglan, Cardigan and Lucan - Very rich and brought their way into control. Hierarchal power - Obedient but poorer soldiers were forced to listen to rich generals.
