AQA Anthology: Conflict: The Charge of the Light Brigade

The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Tennyson. Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) was born in Lincolnshire and later lived on the Isle of Wight and in Surrey. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. Tennyson was one of the great poets of the Victorian era, and was Poet Laureate from 1850 to 1892.

The poem describes a disastrous battle between British cavalry and Russian forces, during the Crimean War (1853-1856). A misunderstanding meant that the Light Brigade was ordered to advance into a valley surrounded by enemy soldiers. The calvary were only armed with swords, whereas the Russian soldiers had guns. The Light Brigade were virtually defenceless against their enemies, and many of them were killed.

The form: the poem is narrated in the third person, making it seem more like a story. There's a strong, regular, relentless rhythm, that creates a fast pace, imitating the calvary going forward and the energy of the…