Analysis of my favourite poem

This poem was written in 1854 by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, then the poet laureate of the United Kingdom, about the Charge of the Light Brigade

The Charge of the Light Brigade was a disastrous charge of British cavalry against Russian forces at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War, when the British cavalry, due to a misunderstanding and lack of information amongst their commanders, charged through a valley lined on both sides by enemy riflemen and cannon towards the cannon battery at the other end of the valley.
After reaching and attacking the battery, suffering huge losses in the process, they were then forced to ride back through the same valley. 2/3 of the men did'nt make it back.

The Charge of the Light Brigade
by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
1.
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.
2.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone had blunder'd:
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.
3.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'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 Hell
Rode the six hundred.
4.
Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
5.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
6.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.

From Poems of Alfred Tennyson,J. E. Tilton and Company, Boston, 1870


This poem uses hyperboles and personification in its construction.
Hyperboles include:
valley of Death used to described the valley he light brigade charged into
The contrasting Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. and Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred. to show the great number of casualties
Thus, these hyperboles stress how great a calamity the charge of the light brigade was.
The phrases jaws of Death and mouth of Hell give Death and Hell human characteristics associated with swallowing or devouring, painting a mental picture in the mind of the reader of men being devoured by death.
The poet used these expressions to touch the readers emotions and make the poem more involving and interesting.

I personally like this poem for its ability to stir up your inmost feelings with its moving depiction of the mindless loyalty and obedience of the cavalrymen of the Light Brigade makes the stupidity and ignorance of their commanders so much more vile. This poem makes you reflect on the unwavering loyalty and obedience of the cavalrymen. Is it noble and upright, or just plain stupid? Those cavalrymen knew that they were riding to their deaths, yet they chose to obey their ignorant and uninformed commanders anyway. I like this poem as it is thought-provoking, well constructed, emotionally moving, yet easy to understand.