Themes
English Lit: AQA GCSE Poetry - Power & Conflict, topic 8.1.2
Honour
The speaker praises the courage of these men. He believes them worthy of glory and national admiration because they put obedience and protecting their country before their own need for safety. They are presented as heroes. These are the literary techniques used to do so:
Heroic language
- Heroic language highlights the bravery and the sacrifice the soldiers made. For example:
- “Boldly”.
- “Noble”.
- “Charging”.
Repetition of "honour"
- Repetition of the imperative verb “honour” cements the poet’s message that these men are worthy of a reader’s admiration and respect.
Violence and Chaos of War
A sense of the chaos and drama of war is created using these techniques:
Metaphor
- Horrific images highlight the danger of the situation and the brutal fate that awaited the men.
- “The valley of Death”.
Personification
- Horrific images highlight the danger of the situation and the brutal fate that awaited the men.
- “Jaws of Death”.
Violent verbs
- Violent verbs emphasise the chaos of the situation.
- “Volleyed”.
- “Thundered”.
- “Stormed”.
Repetition of "flash'd"
- The repetition of "flash'd" creates a vivid image of fighting.
Helplessness of Soldiers to Fate
The poem focuses on the powerlessness of the soldiers to direct their own futures. Tennyson uses repetition to emphasise their helplessness:
Example 1
- “Theirs not to make reply, / Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die”.
- The repetition and rhyme here emphasise the lack of control the soldiers have over their fate.
- In an almost robotic way, they have been conditioned to follow instructions, no matter what they might be.
Example 2
- “Cannon to right of them / Cannon to left of them / Cannon in front of them”.
- This quote highlights how helpless the soldiers are to defend themselves against the onslaught of enemy fire.
- It also highlights how their fate is inescapable.
Example 3
- The repetition of “rode the six hundred” highlights how they rode as one group and has an ominous feel. There's the sense that they kept going with no power to stop.
Test yourself on Themes
What word is repeated in Charge of the Light Brigade to cement the poet’s message that the soldiers are worthy of respect?
What techniques does Tennyson use to emphasise the theme of honour in Charge of the Light Brigade?
Which word is repeated in Charge of the Light Brigade to give a vivid image of fighting?