The Charge of The Light Brigade Flashcards
‘Horse and hero fell…
They that had fought so well’
‘Volley’d and…
Thunder’d’
‘Flash’d all their…
Sabres bare, flash’d as they turn’d in air’
‘Into the jaws of…
Death, into the mouth of hell’
‘The soldier knew…
Some one had blunder’d’
What is the form of the poem?
Narrated in the 3rd person, making it seem like a story.
Regular rhythm creates a fast pace, imitating the cavalry and energy of the battle.
What is the structure of the poem?
Told in chronological order.
Final stanza is shorter and summarises the heroism of the battle.
How is violent language used in the poem?
The speaker chooses powerful verbs and adjectives to give a strong sense of the violence of the battle, and uses sound to create a vivid, noisy, hellish setting.
How is heroic language used in the poem?
Adverbs like ‘boldly’ and ‘charging’ emphasise the men’s bravery. Respectful language shows how the speaker feels the soldiers should be remembered.
How is repetition used in the poem?
Creates a sense of impending doom and inevitability. Repetition of ‘six hundered’ at the end of each stanza reinforces the ideas of the large numbers of men involved, with the references to them summarising the story of the battle.
What is the context involving the poem?
Describes the Crimean war
600 British soldiers given the incorrect order to charge
247 killed or wounded
Poet was commissioned to write the poem as a celebration of courage and following orders
