‘Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward.
The commander gives the Light Brigade to advance and attack the Russian. ‘Forward the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!’ this conjures images of heroes on horseback, charging fearlessly towards the guns. These elements of fearlessness and danger add thrill to the poem.
In the second stanza they march forward. Though the soldiers knew that someone had committed a mistake no one was frightened. That did not answer or question. As soldiers it was their duty to follow the order even at the cost of their lives, so the ‘brave six hundred’ rode straight towards death. This describes them as valiant and strong.
As the poem goes on we find out the true horrific details of the battle.
‘Cannon to the right of them,
Cannon to the left of them,
Cannon in front of them,
Volleyed and thundered.’
In these lines Tennyson praises the dauntless nature of the British soldiers who belonged to the Light Brigade. As soon as the soldiers received an order to charge Russian gunners, they advanced cheerfully in the midst of shots and shells. Even though they were under intense pressure they advanced showing exceptional merit of will and firmness of mind to discharge their duty. The repetition of these lines shows that death was imminent.
In spite of the terrible firing of the guns, the brave six hundred rode very boldly into that hellish firing leading to death. They were as if ‘entering the jaws of Death or entering the mouth of Hell.’ Death is personified explaining the bad conditions that the soldiers fought in.
Later on the soldiers wave their swords and sabres in the air. They shine and as they are drawn into air the whole world is astonished. This because they are surprised to see them ‘plunge through the battery smoke’ and break the line of Russian and Cossack horse men. Those horse men who had fought so well returned through the ranks of the enemy. But their number was greatly reduced. Only a few of them had returned safely.
Finally Tennyson emphasizes their heroic and angelic side. Their glory will never grow less. It is bound to remain immortal. What a desperate attack they had made. The whole world wondered. Let us therefore, honour the brave Light Brigade of the noble six hundred.
We should love our country at any cost. We should be ready for sacrifice to save the honour of our country. If any order is given to discharge our duty for the sake of our country we should carry it out with unflinching discipline. The charge of the Light Brigade, places before us various standards of morality, courage, duty, heroism and patriotism. We must have true patriotism and love for our country.
William Russell, the Times Correspondent saw the battle off on that fatal charge and he published the report on how 670 men flew against 30 guns of the Russians into the flood of fire on both the sides and scattered them like chaff. Tennyson tries to show us it calls to honour where honour is due. Thus the poem is a great tribute to man’s courage.