‘Forward the Light Brigade! Was there a man dismayed?’
This indicates the bravery of the Brigade, this is emphasized by the use of the rhetorical question. This line highlights their power and determination and confirms their patriotic love for their Country.
‘Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.’
In these three lines we see the use of rhythm and rhyme; this suggests that the soldiers had no right to judge the decision of entering the ‘Valley of Death,’ but they were to do and die.
In verse three it exclaims that there was a;
‘Cannon to the right of them,
Cannon to the left of them
Cannon in front of them.’
This is an audio image of bombardment, which almost allows you to hear the cannons being set off. This draws the reader in, making them think as if they were there.
‘Into the jaws of Death, into the mouth of hell’. In this line I have come across personification, as the valley has been brought to life by being given human attributes. This highlights the horror, torture and suffering the soldiers uncovered and shows the wicked darkness of war.
In verse four there is a dramatic pause, ‘All the world wondered.’ This line suggests that the whole world knew of their bravery and that they would be always remembered as heroes of their era.
‘Reeled from the sabre-stroke,’ in this short line you can nearly hear the sabres slashing through the air violently.
‘Shattered and sundered’ tells us that they were beaten, but beaten as warriors of war.
‘Then they rode back, but not, Not the six hundred’. This statement is very emphatic and stark, which makes the reader dwell on their unfortunate defeat.
In the next verse Tennyson uses repetition of the cannons this brings them to life and makes the reader reflect back on the previous verse in which they were mentioned.
‘Stormed at with shot and shell.’ This part reminds me of a similar poem called ‘The breakfast in the trenches’ by Wilfred Gibson. In this it says; ‘we ate our breakfasts lying on our backs while shells where screeching overhead’ It has the same audio effect as Tennyson’s.
The last verse is a very effective and awesome verse. It’s an eulogy. It preaches upon the dead soldiers exclaiming how great they were to the nation, It recalls the bravery of the heroic soldiers.
At the very end Tennyson shows the despairing horror of war, but never the less he marvels at their glory.
After studying this poem I believe that there is not a single theme but many. Out of the many different themes I have come across in Tennyson’s ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade,’ I have come to a conclusion that the two main themes of the poem are Honor and Bravery.
