In 1854 Victorian poet Alfred Tennyson wrote the poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” about soldiers at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. Through his writing he addresses the bravery, valor and courage of the soldiers who fought in the war. The poem is posted below for your reference.
Bravery and courage are ideals that we have seen in many works we have read over the course of the year/semester.
In your discussion post, please answer the following:
Where do you see the ideas of courage and bravery in “Charge of the Light Brigade?” Please give two examples from the poem and explain how they show courage/bravery.
Choose a work we have read this semester or last semester that contains elements of bravery and courage. Give two examples from the text you chose. How are your examples from this text similar and or different from the examples you chose from “Charge of the Light Brigade?”
Scoring: 10 points total
/2 points - Give 2 examples of courage/bravery from the poem "Charge of the Light Brigade"
/2 points - Explain HOW each example from "Charge of the Light Brigade" SHOWS courage/bravery
/1 point - Choose a work from Semester A or B
/2 points - Give 2 examples of courage/bravery in the work you chose from Semester A or B
/2 points - Explain how the 2 examples of courage/bravery from the work you chose are similar/different from the examples you gave from "Charge of the Light Brigade"
/1 point - Proper spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, etc.
"The Charge of the Light Brigade"
By Alfred, Lord Tennyson
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.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Some one 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.
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.
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.
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.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder’d.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
In "Charge of the Light Brigade," the idea of courage and bravery is evident throughout the poem. Two examples of courage and bravery from the poem are:
1. "Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred."
This example shows courage and bravery as the soldiers charge into battle despite the overwhelming odds against them. They demonstrate fearlessness in the face of danger and show their willingness to sacrifice themselves for their cause.
2. "When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder’d."
This example highlights the soldiers' heroic actions and the impact of their bravery. Despite the tragic outcome, their charge is remembered and honored for their fearless and bold actions in battle.
In the work we read this semester, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, there are also elements of courage and bravery displayed by the characters. Two examples of courage and bravery from the text are:
1. Atticus Finch defending Tom Robinson in court, despite facing backlash from the community. Atticus shows courage in standing up for what is right, even when it is not popular or easy.
2. Scout standing up to a lynch mob to protect her father. Scout demonstrates bravery by facing a dangerous situation and refusing to back down, even when confronted with a group of angry men.
The examples from "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Charge of the Light Brigade" are similar in that they both showcase characters standing up for what they believe in and facing adversity with courage and bravery. Both works highlight the theme of sacrifice and the willingness to fight for justice, even in the face of overwhelming odds.