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Charge of the Light Brigade
About
Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) was a poet laureate during Queen Victoria's reign. He was one of the most popular British poets. Tennyson was known for his 'short lyrics' such as 'Charge of the Light Brigade', and 'Break, Break, Break'. He is also known for his poems 'Ulysses' and 'Tithonus'. His most popular long work is The Memoriam.
I
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!" he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
II
"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
III
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell.
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.
IV
Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the saber stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
Available Answers
- 1.
Which historical incident does the poet refer to this poem?
- 2.
"Half a league, half a league, half a league onward."
What does "half a league" mean? Why has the poet repeated the lines three times?
- 3.
What does the poet mean by the lines, "Their's not to make reply, their's not to reason why, their's but to do and die."
- 4.
The Charge of the Light Bridge is a poem on war and courage. Do you think the poem glorifies war? Give reasons to support your answer.
- 5.
Use the following words from the poem given in the box to complete the sentences given below.
dismayed, blundered, noble, sabre, plunged - My sister put in a lot of hard work for the improvement of female literacy; she was admired by her friends and colleagues for her ____________ deed.
- We all ran joyfully on to the beach and ____________ straight into the sea.
- Mohan's disrespect towards his elders _____________ me.
- I knew I had ___________ into the wrong room in the dark, when I heard the girls scream in surprise.
- Two victorious soldier rode gallantly down the street holding a gleaming _____________ in his hands.
- 6.
In the last stanza of the poem, the poet has used words such as 'glory', 'honour' and 'noble'. What do these words signify?
3 more answer(s) available.