- leaguenounChapter 1 →
An old unit of distance, roughly three miles. Here it measures how far the soldiers must ride before reaching the enemy guns.
“Half a league, half a league, / Half a league onward”
- valley of DeathphraseChapter 1 →
A narrow stretch of land surrounded by enemy guns on three sides, used here as a name for the killing ground the soldiers ride into, echoing the biblical phrase for a place of mortal danger.
“All in the valley of Death / Rode the six hundred.”
- Light BrigadenounChapter 1 →
A unit of fast-moving cavalry armed with light weapons, intended for speed rather than heavy assault, here ordered into a suicidal charge against artillery.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
- blunderedverbChapter 1 →
Made a serious, careless mistake. In this poem it refers to the catastrophic error in the military order that sent the soldiers into the wrong and deadly attack.
“Someone had blundered.”
- Theirs not to make replyphraseChapter 1 →
It was not the soldiers' place to answer back or question orders; their duty was simply to obey, no matter how fatal the command.
“Theirs not to make reply, / Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die.”
- reason whyphraseChapter 1 →
To question or demand an explanation for an order. The soldiers are denied this right; blind obedience is their only role.
“Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die.”
- do and diephraseChapter 1 →
To carry out one's duty even at the certain cost of one's own life. It captures the soldiers' total, unquestioning sacrifice.
“Theirs but to do and die.”
- volley'dverbChapter 1 →
Fired a rapid, simultaneous burst of shots or cannon blasts. Here it describes the continuous barrage of artillery the soldiers ride through.
“Cannon to right of them, / Cannon to left of them, / Volley'd and thunder'd”
- thunder'dverbChapter 1 →
Made a loud, explosive roar like thunder. Used here to convey the overwhelming, earth-shaking noise of the cannon fire surrounding the brigade.
“Volley'd and thunder'd”
- jaws of DeathphraseChapter 1 →
The open mouth of death, used as a vivid image for a place of almost certain killing, into which the soldiers willingly ride.
“Into the jaws of Death, / Into the mouth of Hell”
- mouth of HellphraseChapter 1 →
An image of Hell's entrance, used to stress that the soldiers knowingly rode into a place of total destruction and near-certain death.
“Into the jaws of Death, / Into the mouth of Hell”
- sabringverbChapter 1 →
Cutting or striking with a sabre, a heavy curved sword used by cavalry soldiers. It describes the fierce hand-to-hand fighting when the brigade reached the enemy guns.
“Sabring the gunners there,”
- shatter'dverbChapter 1 →
Broken apart and destroyed, here describing the brigade after it has been torn to pieces by cannon fire and can no longer fight as a unit.
- glorynounChapter 1 →
Great honour and lasting fame earned through courageous deeds. Tennyson insists the soldiers' glory can never be forgotten, even though the charge was a military disaster.
“When can their glory fade? / O the wild charge they made!”
- wild chargephraseChapter 1 →
A reckless, headlong cavalry attack made with fierce courage despite impossible odds and certain destruction.
“When can their glory fade? / O the wild charge they made!”
- honourverbChapter 1 →
To publicly respect and celebrate someone's bravery or sacrifice. Tennyson uses it as a direct command, urging all of England to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.
“Honour the charge they made! / Honour the Light Brigade,”
The Charge of the Light BrigadeShort story by Alfred, Lord Tennyson