The Charge Of The Light Brigade Flashcards
“Half a league, half a league, half a league onward,”
Rhythm sounds lil galloping of horses’ hooves. Gives impression that the horses are unstoppable and relentless going into battle
“Valley of death,”
Metaphor sounds sinister and from the start something bad is foreshadowed
“Theirs not to make reply, theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die,”
Rhyme and repetition emphases the soldiers obedience and sense of duty
“Cannon to right of them, cannon to left of them, cannon in front of them,”
Repetition at the store and end of the lines reflects away the soldiers are surrounded by their enemies guns. It also replicates the sound of gunfire. Shows enormity of danger and bravery.
“Storm’d at them with shot and shell,”
Sibilance emphasises the idea of ammunition flying towards them
“Jaws of death,” “Mouth of hell,”
Metaphor personifies death and how to make them seem like monsters that the soldiers can’t escape from. Hell also connotates suffering and torture.
“Rode the six hundred,”
The first free stances end with this line. It adds to the sense of foreboding and remind us of the number of soldiers.
“Flash’d all their sabres bare, Flash’d as they turn’d in air,”
Reputational flashed and the rhyme create a powerful image of the cavalry using their swords
“Sabring the gunners there,charging,”
This reminds us the cavalry only had swords against the Russian guns
Several lines begin with verbs: “Plunged, Charging, sabring,”
Emphasises the action and is increasing the pace of the poem
“All the world wonder’d,”
Could mean that people marvelled at their bravery or they wondered why they have been sent on the charge
Sabre stroke shatter’d and sunder’d,”
Sibilance Here sounds vicious
“Volley’d and thunder’d,”
Powerful onomatopoeic verbs suggest the noise from the cannons
“ when can their glory fade? Oh the wild charge they made!”
Rhetorical question challenges the reader and sounds dramatic and daring
“Honour”
Command is repeated to leave the soldier with the idea that they should honour the cavalry
Rhyming couplets and triplets drive the poem forwards, but the momentum is broken by unrhymed lines
Maybe symbolise the horses stumbling and soldiers falling
Refrain of 600
Highlights unity and loss
Fervent tone in stanza one
Willingness to fight for their country
Reverential tone in final stanza
Respectful celebration in memory
