![]() 247 men of the 637 in the charge were killed or wounded. Its meaning is relatively straightforward, but some of its linguistic effects are worth commenting on. This poem was written to memorialize a suicidal charge by light cavalry over open terrain by British forces in the Battle of Balaclava (Ukraine) in the Crimean War (1854-56). Here is the poem, followed by a few words by way of textual analysis. And the famous ‘theirs but to do and die’ line in the poem encapsulates this message. By Dr Oliver Tearle ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ is one of Alfred, Lord Tennyson ‘s most famous poems. And although ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ was, in one respect, an occasional poem, it also offered a timeless reflection on the senselessness that accompanies much of war, while also praising the unflinching bravery and sense of duty of the soldiers who gave their lives. Honour the charge they made,/ Honour the Light Brigade,/ Noble six hundred. ![]() The poem is one of the rare instances of a Poet Laureate producing a good poem while in office, a poem that would last beyond the occasion for which it was written. Written in 1854 by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the poem deals with the theme of patriotism in conflict. In his own day he was said to bewith Queen Victoria and Prime Minister William. More than any other Victorian-era writer, Tennyson has seemed the embodiment of his age, both to his contemporaries and to modern readers. The poem pays tribute to a brigade of valiant British soldiers. In 1854, during the Crimean War, a disastrous military engagement took place at Balaclava. Tennyson became Poet Laureate in 1850, and part of his function was to commemorate major national events. Let’s take a look at the poem, and the event. Photo by Time Life Pictures/Mansell/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images. A poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892), first published in The Examiner in 1854. Tennyson, who was Poet Laureate for a record 42 years, wrote the poem in response to a very specific event, and it was this event that inspired the lines, ‘Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die’. The quotation originated in the 1854 poem ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ written by the UK Poet Laureate of the time, Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-92). ‘Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die’: these lines have become famous, although they’re often misquoted. By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University) ![]()
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