This blog is part of an assignment for paper 104- The Literature of Victorian Periods.
Personal Information
Name: Aakash Chavda
Batch: M.A. Sem-1 (2023-2025)
Enrollment Number: 5108230011
Email Id: aakashchavda637@gmail.com
Assignment Details
Topic- War's Echo: Tennyson's resounding 'The Charge of The Light Brigade'
Paper & Subject code: 104- Literature of the Victorian Periods & 22395
Submitted to:- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar
Date of Submission- 1 December, 2023.
Abstract
In this assignment I will try to explore Tennyson's famous poem, "Charge of the Light Brigade," where we dive into the connection between war and poetry. Tennyson, a master of words, vividly describes both heroism and tragedy in a historical battle. The rhythmic flow of his words and powerful images make the British cavalry's brave charge during the Crimean War come alive.This study aims to uncover Tennyson's writing by looking at how he blends language and emotion to portray the chaos and glory of battle. It goes beyond the battlefield, considering wider thoughts on war and the impact of poetry in shaping history. Important themes include how language shapes views of military actions, the mix of honor and futility in war, and how art influences how we remember events. By analyzing Tennyson's poetry, we hope to understand how literature acts as a tool for seeing and understanding historical moments, especially those filled with the challenges of war and sacrifice.
Key Words: Crimean War, heroism and tragedy, chaos, military actions, honor and futility of war...
Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
Alfred Tennyson was born in 1809 at Somersby, Lincolnshire, the son of the Rector there. He was educated at Louth Grammar School. The Tennysons were a prominent but quarrelsome family, and he grew up in comfortable but not particularly wealthy circumstances. In 1827 he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. By the time he left in 1831, without taking a degree, he had already published his first collection, Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, and formed some very significant friendships. One was with Arthur Henry Hallam, another poet, whose death in 1833 was a huge blow. He was very productive throughout the 1830s and 1840s (after leaving university). It was not until later, however, in 1850, that two highly significant events secured his reputation and his financial security. He published In Memoriam, one of the greatest English poems about grief, loss, and consolation, and he was named Poet Laureate, succeeding Wordsworth. Queen Victoria held him in high regard. He was admitted to the peerage, becoming Baron Tennyson (hence he is often referred to as 'Alfred, Lord Tennyson') in 1883. He died in 1892. In addition to In Memoriam Tennyson wrote fascinating and well-known poems in numerous collections. 'The Lotos-Eaters', 'Maud', 'Enoch Arden', 'Mariana', and 'Tithonus', to name just a few, would offer varied rewards to a reader exploring the range of his work. Another group of poems, telling the stories of King Arthur and his court, would be rewarding to consider. Tennyson's persistent interest in the court of King Arthur manifests itself both in early poems (such as 'The Lady of Shalott', and 'The Morte d'Arthur'), and in the great collection Idylls of the King.
"Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldy task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages."
Crimean War/Battle of Balaklava
Charge of the Light Brigade, (Oct. 25, 1854), disastrous British cavalry charge against heavily defended Russian troops at the Battle of Balaklava (1854) during the Crimean War (1853-56). Military historians and strategists continue to study the attack to diminish the importance of military power, and a clear chain of command and communication.
Battle of Balaklava, also spelled Balaclava, (1854), indecisive military engagement of the Crimean War, best known as the inspiration of the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade.” In this battle, the Russians failed to capture Balaklava, the Black Sea supply port of the British, French, and Turkish allied forces in the southern Crimea, but the British lost control of their best supply road connecting Balaklava with the heights above Sevastopol, the major Russian naval centre that was under siege by the allies. The three noteworthy engagements of the day were the Thin Red Line, The Charge of the Heavy Brigade, and the infamous and disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade. Tennyson’s “Charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava,” never popular, is little known except to literary scholars. In all, the Battle of Balaklava cost each side some 620 men.
Historical Context
The Crimean War, a 19th-century conflict with a toll of at least 500,000 lives, significantly impacted figures like Florence Nightingale and Leo Tolstoy. It originated in Jerusalem within the Ottoman Empire, where disputes among Orthodox Christian and Catholic monks over holy sites led to violence. In 1852, Czar Nicholas I of Russia, proclaiming himself a defender of Orthodox Christianity, sought protection for millions of Christian subjects in the Ottoman Empire. Rejected, he sent his vast army to occupy Ottoman principalities in Romania, aiming at Constantinople. In response, Britain and France, alarmed by this expansionism, pledged to defend Ottoman sovereignty.
The official outbreak of fighting in October 1853 saw the Russians decimate the Ottoman fleet, but their land forces faced challenges, including a failed siege in Bulgaria. In 1854, Britain and France declared war, bombarding Odessa, and the conflict escalated. The allies targeted the Russian naval base in Sevastopol, leading to a joint force of over 60,000 troops sailing into Kalamita Bay in September 1854. Despite challenges such as stormy weather and a cholera outbreak, the British and French defeated the Russians near the Alma River. The siege of Sevastopol followed, marked by the infamous Battle of Balaclava.
Lord Raglan, the British commander, faced miscommunication and confusion in directing the cavalry, resulting in the tragic charge of the Light Brigade. Despite casualties, the Russians claimed victory, parading captured artillery through Sevastopol. However, a year later, they surrendered, agreeing to concessions for peace. Alfred Tennyson's poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade" immortalized the bravery of the soldiers, overshadowing the less-celebrated role of the Heavy Brigade. The Crimean War left a lasting legacy, impacting geopolitics and inspiring literary works.
Structure of The Poem
The poem consists of six stanzas, each numbered and with varying lengths ranging from six to twelve lines. In terms of meter, each line is composed in dimeter, featuring two stressed syllables. Additionally, there are two unstressed syllables following each stressed syllable, creating a dactylic rhythm. The poem employs a "falling" rhythm, emphasizing stress on the first beat of each metrical unit, followed by a diminishing emphasis for the remainder of the meter. This rhythmic choice aligns with the theme of the poem, which revolves around the tragic descent of the British brigade.
'The Charge of Light Brigade'
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 sabre 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!
War Poetry
'Tennyson's soldiers are bold, heroic, glorious, honourable, noble and dead'.
This poem is just one example of a huge range of poetry, prose and drama concerning war. Some are contemporary, often written by the soldiers themselves, some have been written after the event, with knowledge of opinions that have been expressed over the years. Most of it can be divided into two groups: pro-war sentimentalism or jingoism and anti-war realism.Tennyson's item is a thundering piece of verse. The metre, dactylic diameter, echoes the galloping of the horses. It is rousing and exciting to the ear. It was Wordsworth who indicated that someone reading or listening to a poem might be distracted by its rhyme and rhythm, which almost form a barrier to the words so that the reader does not immediately register their meaning. This appears to be what is happening when one hears this poem. It has an exciting, enjoyable, fun-filled sound, which belies some of its content.
Portrayal of War
Tennyson's poem was an almost immediate reaction to a Times article by W H Russell, which described the Light Brigade's charge through a valley towards heavily armed Russian troops, with 'cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them, cannon to the front of them'. Their commander had mistaken his orders, and his blunder caused them to ride – heroically – to their deaths.With the exception of 'death' itself, Tennyson gives his readers very little overt information on the effects of battle on soldiers. In 'The Charge of the Light Brigade', Tennyson describes battle itself rather than the effects thereof. It gives his 'poetic license' version of real events - where nearly 600 men died. Death or defeat are the only results – or effects – of this skirmish.
However, the reader might conclude that those who died probably suffered and that they may have felt fear and pain as a result of the events surrounding them. One might infer that the survivors may have suffered physical injury as a result of being 'stormed at by shot and shell' or of having horses fall on or under them. Perhaps they were deafened by the cannon that 'volleyed and thundered' or had their eyes and lungs affected by 'the battery smoke'.
Effects on Audience
Tennyson does indicate the effect that this story should have on its audience – the civilians back home. They should 'wonder' at this charge and should 'honour' those taking part. The word 'honour' is emphasized by being used twice in the final verse – once with an exclamation mark – and it is accompanied by the words ‘glory' and 'noble'. There are no horrific descriptions of death and suffering, so the reader is left to revere and respect the six hundred rather than empathising or sympathising with them.When the reader of 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' hears the battle described thus: 'Stormed at with shot and shell, while horse and hero fell', he still envisions the galloping horses, carrying their noble riders. His mind does not immediately register that the shot soldier has fallen. The thundering rhythm has affected the reader's ability to take this in clearly.
The poem describes the fate of six hundred men. The reader learns nothing of them as individuals. A few wounded men survived the charge, but most were killed. We do not know their names or how they felt. 'anonymous victims, .. 'the six hundred'.
For the soldiers of the First World War, 'theirs' was 'not to reason why' any more than it was for the Light Brigade. 'Theirs' was still 'to do and die', following orders, like sheep, without question and without the liberty to question.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tennyson's "The Charge of The Light Brigade" powerfully illustrates the impact of war, immortalizing the bravery and sacrifice of the British Light Cavalry Brigade. The poem serves as a timeless reflection on the human spirit in the face of conflict, leaving a lasting impression with its evocative language and vivid imagery.
Reference
- Bunting, Tony. “Battle of Balaklava | Crimean War, British-Russian Conflict.” Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Balaklava. Accessed 24 November 2023.
- Crimean War - Summary, Facts & Causes | HISTORY, 5 August 2021, https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/crimean-war. Accessed 24 November 2023.
- Does “the Charge of the Light Brigade” Glorify War? - Owlcation, owlcation.com/humanities/Tennyson-The-Charge-of-the-Light-Brigade-Honour-and-Glory. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
- Long, William J., et al. “English Literature by William J. Long.” Project Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10609. Accessed 24 November 2023.
- “The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord….” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45319/the-charge-of-the-light-brigade. Accessed 26 November 2023.
- Wallace, William. “Alfred, Lord Tennyson | Victorian Poet & Poetry.” Britannica, 10 October 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-Lord-Tennyson. Accessed 24 November 2023.
Word Count (1983)
Images Used (2)
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