Alfred Lord Tennyson's The Charge Of The Light Brigade

War brings death. Those who see war firsthand can truly testify to the chaos and destruction that directly result from violence. Yet, only in moments of pandemonium will actions of courage and honor arise. It is impossible for stories of valor to exist without battle. There are many examples of valor throughout history, but one battle is especially famous for the courage and honor that did not result in victory, but rather in defeat. The Russians and British fought against one another in the Crimean war. The battle of Balaclava in October 1854 resulted in the massacre of a British light cavalry unit due to miscommunication within the British Army. Clearly outnumbered and outgunned by the Russians, the British conducted their assault. Word traveled quickly of the British defeat at Balaclava. A few weeks later Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote “The Charge of the Light Brigade” to retell the …show more content…
In the first stanza describes the order given, “Charge for the guns!” so without hesitation the soldiers comply and assault forward as quick as lightning (6). The six hundred’s courage and honor are undeniable in their final act of devotion. Stanza three describes the cannons as they were firing on the charge as “Volleyed and thundered; / Stormed” (4-5). All three adjectives describe lightning. The charge of the six hundred was in formation even as the cannons broke their ranks. The courage of the six hundred helped them stay together. In the fourth stanza the lines start with the same word, “Flashed all their sabres bare, Flashed as they turned in air” (1-2). The word ‘flashed’ reinforces the lightning imagery by evoking the sudden flashes of lightning as they massacre the cavalry. Tennyson’s diction choices represent lightning flashing against the charge of the six hundred, but the thought of the cavalry remaining in their charge demonstrates their