‘Moon on the Tides’ Anthology Lesson Objectives: To identify the key aspects of structure and form used to convey meaning ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson

The Charge of the Light Brigade took place during the Battle of Balaklava, during the Crimean War in 1854.

The attack was doomed from the start

Alfred Lord Tennyson Tennyson was Poet Laureate at the time, which meant that he was the nation’s poet and therefore wrote about contemporary issues. His poem about the Charge of the Light Brigade was published in a newspaper less than 3 months after the battle.

Test yourself 1.What do the cavalrymen do during the course of the charge, and what happens to them? 2.Read the first two lines out loud. How does Tennyson make the feeling of the charge and horses come alive in these lines? Think about the use of repetition and rhythm. 3.All of the first five stanzas start with repeated words and phrases except one stanza. a)Which stanza is it? b)Which line in this stanza suggests that going into battle was a big mistake?

Test yourself cont./ 4.‘Was there a man dismay’d?’ suggests the courage of the soldiers. Where else in the poem can you find details that suggest courage? 5.In the third stanza, the men are surrounded. How do the first three lines of this stanza make you feel that the soldiers are surrounded? 6.How does the fifth stanza show the soldiers are returning? Find the exact words that tell you this. 7.Which words in the last stanza show the attitude that the poet thinks people should have about the soldiers?