The Famous Bards Poetry 3B

Alfred, Lord Tennyson served as Great Britain’s poet laureate during much of Queen Victoria’s reign. Born in 1809, he was the son of a middle-class family. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society, an award given to mathematicians, scientists, and engineers. He was famous during his own lifetime and was regarded as one of Britain’s greatest poets. Again we’ll go to the poetry foundation website to read and experience some of his poetry.

“The Charge of the Light Brigade” is a ballad, a poem that tells a story. A poet laureate is responsible for using poetry to comment on people and events. This poem records a battle that happened during the Crimean War, which took place from 1853-1856. Russia ultimately lost the war, against an alliance formed by France, Great Britain, the Ottoman Empire (present day Turkey and surrounding areas), and Sardinia (near Italy). We won’t explore the whole war here, but just enough so you can understand the poem.

The Russians supported Eastern Orthodox Christians while the French supported Catholics. Both groups were considered minorities in the Holy Land, at that time controlled by the Ottoman Empire. In addition to religious causes, there was also an unwillingness on the part of the French and British to allow Russia to gain more territory, as the Ottoman Empire grew weaker. The war took place in Eastern Europe. Shirley Temple's movie "The Little Princess" that takes place during the Crimean War; the little girl is left at her boarding school while her father goes to war. The end of the movie has the Little Princess finding her father in one of the hospital wards, and Queen Victoria even makes an appearance. ;)

“The Charge of the Light Brigade” is a tribute to a group of brave British cavalrymen who participated in the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854. The commander wanted the Light Brigade to pursue a retreating Russian artillery battery, but due to miscommunication in the chain of command, the Light Brigade was sent instead to assault a different battery that was well-prepared. It was a disaster.(Light Brigade or Light Cavalry are lightly armored troops, while Heavy Cavalry are troops and horses that are protected by heavy armor.) There were high British casualties and no real gain. Tennyson recorded and emphasized their bravery in 6 short stanzas. Here is the last:

“When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wondered.

Honour the charge they made!

Honour the Light Brigade

Noble six hundred!”

Did you read the poem? Did it portray to you the bravery as Tennyson had hoped? To get you ready for Poetry 3C, who is America's poet laureate?