Class 6: Unit-11B: The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

The Charge of the Light Brigade  by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (Summary Only For Reading)

The poem was written by Lord Alfred Tennyson to honour the six hundred soldiers who rode on horseback to fight the Russian Army during the Crimean War. The light cavalry brigade fought in the Battle of Balaclava where many of the six hundred soldiers lost their lives. They were obeying a command to ride forward and fight, and even though they knew the commander had made a mistake and had issued wrong orders. 

Not a single soldier was discouraged or distressed by the command to charge forward, even though all the soldiers realised that their commander had made a terrible mistake. The role of soldiers is to obey and not to question orders that are given to them, so they followed the orders and rode into the ‘valley of death’. The six hundred soldiers faced cannon fire from the front and from both sides. But still, they rode forward courageously to their own deaths. The soldiers attacked the enemy gunners with their swords and charged at the enemy while the rest of the world looked on in wonder. They rode into the artillery smoke and broke through the enemy line, destroying their Cossack and Russian opponents. Then they rode back from the battle, but they had lost many men. The world marvelled at the courage of the soldiers. Their courageous sacrifice deserves great honour and respect.

The poem consists of six stanzas of varying length—from six to twelve lines. The rhyme scheme varies in each stanza. Tennyson uses the method repeating the same words to create a sense of unrelenting assault. He also wants the readers to remember the bravery of the soldiers who rode forward despite knowing that they might never return and thus reminds us of the same towards the end of the poem.

Background of the Poem - The Charge of the Light Brigade was written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson to honour the bravery of six hundred British cavalry soldiers during the Crimean War. The poem is based on the real Battle of Balaclava, where soldiers followed mistaken orders and courageously charged into enemy fire.

Summary in Points

1. Six hundred soldiers are ordered to charge into battle.
2. The soldiers know the command is a mistake.
3. Despite the danger, they obey their orders bravely.
4. They ride into the “valley of death” surrounded by enemy cannons.
5. Cannon fire attacks them from all sides.
6. The soldiers fight fearlessly with swords.
7. They break through enemy lines and attack Russian forces.
8. Many soldiers are killed in the battle.
9. The survivors return from the battlefield.
10. The world admires and honours their bravery and sacrifice.

Flowchart

Soldiers receive command

            ↓

They know the order is wrong

            ↓

Ride into the valley of death

            ↓

Enemy cannons attack from all sides

            ↓

Soldiers fight courageously

            ↓

Many soldiers die in battle

            ↓

Survivors return

            ↓

World honours their bravery

Setting

• Place: The battlefield at Balaclava during the Crimean War.
• Time: During the 1854 Battle of Balaclava.

Tone & Mood

Tone - Heroic, respectful, and patriotic.

Mood - Tense, tragic, inspiring, and emotional.

Perspective - The poem is written from a third-person narrative perspective, describing the actions and bravery of the soldiers.

Central Idea - The poem honours the courage, loyalty, and sacrifice of soldiers who obeyed orders bravely even in the face of certain death.

Themes 

• Bravery and Courage – The soldiers fearlessly charge into danger.
• Duty and Obedience – Soldiers obey commands without questioning.
• War and Sacrifice – Many lives are lost in battle for duty and honour.
• Heroism – The soldiers become heroes because of their selfless actions.
• Tragedy of War – The poem shows how mistakes in war can lead to great loss.

Message - The poem teaches us to respect the courage and sacrifice of soldiers while also reminding us about the tragic consequences of war.

Literary Devices

a) Repetition - Repeated phrases like “Rode the six hundred” emphasize bravery and rhythm.

b) Imagery - Descriptions of cannons, smoke, and battle create vivid war scenes.

c) Metaphor - “Valley of Death” symbolizes extreme danger and near-certain death.

d) Alliteration- “Stormed at with shot and shell” repeats consonant sounds for effect.

e) Personification - Cannons are described as if they are actively attacking the soldiers.

Title Justification & Significance

Justification - The title “The Charge of the Light Brigade” is appropriate because the poem describes the brave cavalry attack of the Light Brigade soldiers.

Significance - The title highlights the soldiers’ heroic action and preserves the memory of their sacrifice.

Motif - The recurring motif in the poem is courage in the face of death.

Characters and Character Traits

Character	Traits
The Light Brigade Soldiers	Brave, loyal, disciplined, self-sacrificing
The Commander	Careless, mistaken
Enemy Forces	Powerful, dangerous
The Speaker/Narrator	Respectful, admiring

HOTS Question (Higher Order Thinking Skills)

Question: Why do the soldiers continue the attack even after realising the command was wrong?

Answer - The soldiers continue because they believe it is their duty to obey orders without questioning. Their discipline, loyalty, and sense of honour make them fight bravely despite knowing the danger.

VBQ (Value-Based Question)

Question: What values can we learn from the soldiers of the Light Brigade?

Answer - We learn values such as courage, discipline, loyalty, sacrifice, and dedication to duty even during difficult situations.

Question and Answers

Notes For Reading and Revision

Background of the Poem 

• The poem was written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

• It was published in 1854.

• It is based on a real battle called the Battle of Balaclava.

• Tennyson wrote the poem to honour the courage of the soldiers.

• The poem reminds people to remember and respect their sacrifice.

 Summary in Points 

• The poem is about 600 British soldiers called the Light Brigade.

• They fought in the Crimean War.

• The soldiers were ordered to charge at the enemy.

• The order was a mistake, but the soldiers did not question it.

• They rode into the “valley of death”.

• Cannons fired at them from the front and both sides.

• Many soldiers were killed, but they fought bravely.

• They attacked the enemy with swords.

• Some soldiers returned, but many did not.

• The world praised and honoured their bravery and sacrifice.

Perspective (Point of View)

• The poem is written in the third person.

• The poet describes what the soldiers did and how brave they were.

Setting

• Place: Valley of Balaclava, Crimea

• Time: During the Crimean War (1854)

• Situation: A battlefield filled with danger, guns, and cannons

Characters

The Six Hundred / Light Brigade

• Brave British soldiers

• Obey orders without questioning

• Ready to sacrifice their lives

• Show great courage and discipline

The Commander

• Gave the wrong order

• His mistake caused heavy loss of lives

Enemy Soldiers (Russians and Cossacks)

• Fired cannons at the Light Brigade

• Were attacked by the soldiers

Central Idea: The poem shows the bravery, discipline, and sacrifice of soldiers who obeyed orders even in the face of death.

Themes

1. Bravery: The soldiers show great courage by riding into danger.
2. Duty and Obedience: Soldiers obey orders without questioning.
3. Sacrifice: Many soldiers give their lives for their country.
4. Honor and Respect: The soldiers’ bravery deserves praise and remembrance.

Message (Moral)

• Courage and duty are more important than fear.

• Brave sacrifices should always be honoured.

Literary Devices

• Repetition: Words like “Rode the six hundred” show continuous action and bravery.

• Alliteration: Repetition of sounds adds rhythm (e.g., “Cannon to right of them”).

• Imagery: Describes the battlefield clearly so readers can imagine it.

• Metaphor: “Valley of Death” shows the extreme danger faced by soldiers.

Title Justification

• The title is correct because the poem is about the charge (attack) of the Light Brigade.

• It focuses on their brave ride into battle.

Tone: Respectful, Proud, Admirative
Mood: Serious, Patriotic, Sad but inspiring