The Charge of the Light Brigade Flashcards
how does the fact its narrated in third person effect the poem? (charge of the light brigade)
makes it seem like a story
what does the regular relentless rhythm create? (charge of the light brigade)
a fast pace imitating the Calvarys advance and the energy of there battle
what do the rhyming couplets and triplets do? (charge of the light brigade)
drives the poem forwards
what do the unrhymed lines do? (charge of the light brigade)
-break momentum
-mirror horses stumbling and soldiers falling
what does the overall lack of rhyme scheme hint at? (charge of the light brigade)
the chaos of war
what kind of order is the poem told in? (charge of the light brigade)
chronological
what can be said about the final stanza? (charge of the light brigade)
-it summarises the heroism of of the brigade
what does the repetition create a sense of? (charge of the light brigade)
creates a sense of impending doom and inevitability
what does the repetition of ‘six hundred’ at the end of each stanza reinforce? (charge of the light brigade)
-the idea of large numbers of the men involved
-summarising the battle
what heroic language is used and what does it emphasise? (charge of the light brigade)
-adverbs like ‘boldly’ and ‘charging’ are used
-to emphasise the mens bravery
why is respectful language used? (charge of the light brigade)
shows how the narrator feels the solders should be remembered
how and why is violent language used? (charge of the light brigade)
-the narrator choses powerful verb sand adjectives
-to give a strong sense of the violence of the battle
what do sounds create? (charge of the light brigade)
a vivid, noisy and hellish setting
what feelings and attitudes are ion the poem? (charge of the light brigade)
-admiration (of the bravery and sacrifice)
-patriotism (obey orders for the country)
-horror (the true reality of war)
‘half a …., half a ….., half a …… forwards’
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
league x3
-the rhythm sounds like galloping horses’ hooves
-it gives the impression that the horses are unstoppable
‘valley of …..’
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
death
-sounds sinister
-the reader is warned of the bad ending right form the start (foreshadowing)
-reference to the bible (psalm) god is with them
‘rode the …. …….’
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
six hundred
-presents a group with purpose
‘not the the …… knew’
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
soldiers
-they realise the brigade is a mistake but they do what they are told
-sense of duty and obedience
-poet respects them for this
‘cannon to the …. of them, cannon to the …. of them, cannon …. of them’
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
right, left, in-front
-anaphora and epistrophe
-reflects the way the soldiers are surrounded by the enemy
-replicates the sound of gunfire
‘… and shell’
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
shot
-sibilance
-emphasises the idea of ammunition firing at them
‘jaws of ….’ ‘….. of hell’
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
death, mouth
-‘hell’ contrasts the biblical references earlier on
-these images personify death and hell making them seem like monsters that the soldiers cannot escape from
‘flash’d’ (x2)
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
-anaphoric repetition
-and rhyme creates a powerful imagine of the calvary using their swords
‘volley’d’ and ‘thunder’d’
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
-powerful onomatopoeic verbs suggest the noise of the cannons
‘all the ….. ……’.’
explain it
(charge of the light brigade)
world wonder’d
-double meaning
-could mean that people marvelled at their bravery
-or wondered why they had beens et on a ‘death mission’
