The Charge of the Light Brigade

by Alfred, Lord Tennyson · 1854 · 1 min read · 55 lines

In short

The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson is a poem about six hundred soldiers who charge into deadly cannon fire under a mistaken order. It begins with their repeated forward movement into a valley described as belonging to Death. Although the soldiers know someone has blundered, they obey rather than question the command. Cannons thunder on three sides as the riders advance. Their bare sabers flash, and they break through the enemy line amid smoke, striking the gunners and opposing troops. The poem then follows the survivors back through more cannon fire, while horses and soldiers fall. Its final lines turn from the battle to an appeal that readers honor the brigade’s courage and remember its costly charge.

Half a league, half a league,Half a league onward,All in the valley of DeathRode the six hundred.“Forward, the Light Brigade!“Charge for the guns!” he said:Into the valley of DeathRode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”Was there a man dismay’d?Not tho’ the soldier knewSome one had blunder’d:Their’s not to make reply,Their’s not to reason why,Their’s but to do and die,Into the valley of DeathRode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,Cannon to left of them,Cannon in front of themVolley’d and thunder’d;Storm’d at with shot and shell,Boldly they rode and well,Into the jaws of Death,Into the mouth of HellRode the six hundred.

Flash’d all their sabres bare,Flash’d as they turn’d in air,Sabring the gunners there,Charging an army, whileAll the world wonder’d:Plunged in the battery-smokeRight thro’ the line they broke;Cossack and RussianReel’d from the sabre-strokeShatter’d and sunder’d.Then they rode back, but notNot the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,Cannon to left of them,Cannon behind themVolley’d and thunder’d;Storm’d at with shot and shell,While horse and hero fell,They that had fought so wellCame thro’ the jaws of DeathBack from the mouth of Hell,All that was left of them,Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?O the wild charge they made!All the world wonder’d.Honour the charge they made!Honour the Light Brigade,Noble six hundred!

What it means, line by line

Lines 1 to 8: The opening follows six hundred mounted soldiers advancing toward enemy guns. Repeated measures of distance give the movement a steady, driving beat. Calling their destination a valley of Death makes the danger clear before any fighting is described, while the command to charge sends them forward.

Lines 9 to 17: The soldiers recognize that someone has made a mistake, but they do not challenge the order. The repeated statements about what is not theirs to do emphasize obedience and the lack of choice. Their duty leads toward possible death, creating tension between their courage and the failed judgment behind the command.

Lines 18 to 26: Cannon fire surrounds the brigade from the front and both sides. Repeated directions make the riders seem trapped, while thunder and storm imagery convey the force of the attack. Death and Hell become threatening mouths, making the charge feel like a movement into something ready to swallow them.

Lines 27 to 38: The brigade reaches the guns, attacks with flashing sabers, and breaks through the enemy line in thick smoke. Quick action words emphasize the force of the riders’ assault. The closing turn interrupts this success: they ride back, but the repeated number now highlights that not all six hundred return.

Lines 39 to 49: The survivors face cannon fire again as they retreat, now with guns behind them rather than ahead. This change reverses the earlier description without reducing the danger. Falling horses and soldiers make the losses concrete. The repeated images of Death and Hell now frame an escape, but only for those left alive.

Lines 50 to 55: The speaker leaves the action behind and directly calls for the brigade to be honored. The opening question presents its glory as lasting, while repeated commands focus attention on the soldiers’ courage. The ending praises the six hundred as a group, even after describing how many failed to return.

Three questions to think about

How does the repeated reference to six hundred change in meaning as the poem moves forward?
What tension does the poem create between the mistaken order and the soldiers’ duty to obey?
How do the descriptions of cannon fire shape your understanding of the charge and the retreat?

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