Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade

Rhythm and Repetition: Bringing the Lines to Life In Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” a glorious charge in the midst of the Crimean War of 1854 is dramatically illustrated and brought to life. Seemingly simple at first glance, the poem describes a failed battle charge, but the emotions of the charge and the ultimate heroic nature of the Light Brigade’s attack stand out as well. The use of rhythm and repetition in “The Charge of the Light Brigade” intensifies to the reader the violence of the battle, the loyalty of the troops, and the futility of the unwavering charge against overwhelming odds. Clearly the author realized the power of repetition of certain words and phrases to instill his perspective of the battle into the reader’s mind. One of the most prevalent uses of repetition is the word “death.” According to Tennyson, The Light Brigade charges “into the valley of Death” (line 7) and “into the jaws of Death” (24) on several occasions. The use of this repetitious phrasing, an allusion to the Bible, helps paint a bleak picture of a charge doomed from the beginning. The last line of each stanza contains one of the most prevalent uses of repetition in the poem. The first three stanzas’ ending lines, “Rode the six hundred” (8, 17, 26), establish the dedication of the whole brigade to the charge. In the fourth stanza where the charge reaches the enemy lines and engages in combat only to be “shatter’d and sunder’d” (36), the brigade is forced to retreat. During the retreat phase, the attacking brigade flees, but “Not the six hundred” (38). This subtle one-word change serves as a stark contrast between the steady charge and the bloody retreat, while also illustrating the grievous losses suffered by the attackers. The fifth stanza portrays a shattered retreating army as “All that was left of them / left of six hundred” (48, 49) turn and ride back to safety. The sixth and final stanza continues the repetition but refers to the whole Light Brigade as the “Noble six hundred” (55). By referring to the entire six hundred, not just the surviving soldiers, the poem travels full circle and invokes a sense that all the Light Brigade will be remembered for its truly heroic efforts. Repetition emphasizes the steadfast nature of the charge. The battle cry “Half a league, half a league / Half a league onward” (1, 2) builds a cadence and sets a rhythm for how Tennyson intends the poem to be read. By setting a rhythm, it also sets the mood of the Light Brigade as determined, ready, and willing to complete its mission. A special kind of repetition, anaphora, shows the strength and ferociousness of the enemy. The Light Brigade’s charge is soon met with a strong defense from “Cannon to right of them / Cannon to left of them / Cannon in front of them” (18, 19, 20), but the soldiers endure being “Volley’d and thunder’d / Storm’d at with shot and shell” (21, 22). Even with the initial success of breaking through the enemy’s line, the remnants of the brigade are forced to retreat but now under fire from “Cannon behind them” (43). The anaphora gives the reader historical facts and allows the reader to experience the steady, constant stream of fire along with the soldiers of the Light Brigade. The rhythmic nature of this poem, created through repetition, allows the action to explode off the page and form in the voice of the reader. Instead of just reading the poem in a straightforward way, the author forces the reader to sense the ferocious beating of the horses’ hooves, the roaring cannon fire, and the reversing change in mood as the charge is stopped. With the break in repetition and the change of the last lines from “Rode the six hundred,” (8, 17, 26) to “Then they rode back, but not / Not the six hundred” (37, 38), the poem takes a climatic turn. The intended voice seems slower and more somber. Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s use of rhythm and repetition to bring his work to life contributes greatly to the success and readability of “The Charge of the Light Brigade.” Without these techniques, the poem would resemble a history textbook. With their superb usage, actions seem life-like and envelop the reader in the emotions the author intended.