The Charge Of The Light Brigade

Question 1

Who is the author of the charge of the light brigade and when was it written

Answer 1

Alfred lord tennyson , 1854

Question 2

Structure and form of COTLB

Answer 2

-fixed rhythms and pattern which creates sense of inevitability however chaos is introduced by the irregular rhyme scheme
-6 stanzas
-ballad which is a historic poetry form used as a story to commemorate a story for future generations to hear
-enjambement and caesura are used frequently to quicken pace of poem mirroring chaos and panic of war

Question 3

Summary of COTLB

Answer 3

A large brigade of soldiers are commanded to march to their deaths, they charge heroically but few remain as they retreat

Question 4

Key themes of COTLB

Answer 4

Conflict, courage, duty, battle between good and evil

Question 5

COTLB key quotes

Answer 5

“Honour”
“Rode the six hundred”
“Into the jaws of death into the mouth of hell”
“Theirs not to reason why theirs but to do and die “

Question 6

Context of COTLB

Answer 6

-could be implied that it’s a battle between religious good or evil, leading Christian readers to support the soldiers
-Crimean war was perceived as worthwhile and glorious
-the most well documented war at the time, the public were aware of the mistakes being made
-the light brigade were lower classes who were less valuable to the country

Question 7

Analyse quote: ‘Honour’

Answer 7

Commands, imperative verbs we must honour them for their bravery loyalty and patriotism
Poem is glorifying the war

Question 8

Analyse quote “rode the six hundred “

Answer 8

Depersonalise and dehumanise soldiers
Known as a number rather than individuals
This results in no emotion from reader

Question 9

Analyse quote “theirs not to reason why theirs but to do and die”

Answer 9

-unquestioning, obedience, duty
-Victorian brainwashing they thought there was no honour greater than dying for one’s country
-Victorian attitudes to being a man - they were feared to not be accepted by society as if not they would be considered not masculine
-anaphora

Question 10

Analyse quote : “into the jaws of death, into the mouth of hell”

Answer 10

-semantic field of being eaten by devil portrayal of Russians the devil
- Jaws of death makes it seem like a suicide mission, inevitable they will die
-emphasises their courage in the face of peril
-links to the story of the harrying of hell as they were sacrificing their own freedom for the freedom of those back home