The Charge of the Light Brigade Flashcards
The poem starts with action, but implies something bad will happen
“Half a league, half a league, / Half a league onward, / All in the valley of Death / Rode the six hundred.” (1 - 4)
The commander directly orders the soldiers to charge
“‘Forward, the Light Brigade! / Charge for the guns!’ he said: / Into the valley of Death / Rode the six hundred.” (5-8)
The poem emphasises that it is the soldiers’ duty to follow orders unquestioningly
“Theirs not to make reply, / Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die: / Into the valley of Death / Rode the six hundred” (13 - 17)
The danger of the battlefield is emphasised by the poem and the soldiers’ bravery
“Volley’d and thunder’d; / Storm’d at with shot and shell, / Boldly they rode and well, / Into the jaws of Death, / Into the mouth of Hell / Rode the six hundred.” (21 - 26)
The fourth verse utterly emphasises the chaos and destruction of conflict, and the losses the Light Brigade faces
“Flash’d all their sabres bare, / Flash’d as they turn’d in air / Sabring the gunners there, / Charging an army, while / All the world wonder’d: / Plunged in the battery-smoke / Right thro’ the line they broke; / Cossack and Russian / Reel’d from the sabre-stroke / Shatter’d and sunder’d.” (27 - 36)
The poem describes the Light Brigade’s retreat, and conveys it has lost men
“Storm’d at with shot and shell, / While horse and hero fell, / They that had fought so well / Came thro’ the jaws of Death / Back from the mouth of Hell, / All that was left of them, / Left of six hundred.” (43 - 49)
The last verse emphasises the core themes of the poem and its message instead of focusing on a specific part of the battle
“When can their glory fade? / O the wild charge they made! / All the world wonder’d. / Honour the charge they made! / Honour the Light brigade, / Noble six hundred!” (50 - 55)
