Hi Everyone!! This article will share The Charge of the Light Brigade Questions & Answers.
The poem is written by Alfred Lord Tennyson and it celebrates an act of bravery and sacrifice. It depicts the willingness of the cavalry to obey orders no matter the cost and to sacrifice themselves. This willingness is what makes them heroes thereby showing that heroism isn’t just about bravery but also about duty. Below are given the questions & answers of this poem. I have already shared The Charge of the Light Brigade Stanza Wise Summary so, you can check that post as well.
The Charge of the Light Brigade Questions & Answers
Question 1: About which war was the poem written and how many British forces rode into the battle?
Answer: The poem was written about The Crimean War. Six hundred soldiers rode into the battle.
Question 2: Why is the line ‘Rode the six hundred’ repeated many times in the poem?
Answer: The line is repeated many times to emphasize that the six hundred soldiers were ready to sacrifice their life on that day in the battlefield.
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Question 3: Why do the men of Light Brigade charge when they knew the order is a mistake?
Answer: The soldiers follow orders given by their commanders; they don’t analyse, reason or question the given orders. They fight for the honour and glory of their country. Questioning the superiors is considered indiscipline and refusing to fight is called deserting. Both of which will affect the morale of the army.
Question 4: Why is the valley described as mouth of hell?
Answer: Hell is full of suffering and misery. Entering the valley meant facing attack, firing and shelling by soldiers of the Russian army, heavily armed with guns, cannon and ammunition. Painful death and/or mutilation was/were certain inside the valley. So it is compared to entering hell.
The Charge of the Light Brigade Questions & Answers
Question 5: Read the passage given below and answer the following questions:
“Flash’d all their sabres…………………………… the world wonder’d”
(a) Who flashed their sabres?
Answer: The soldiers of the Light Brigade flashed their sabres.
(b) At whom did they flash the sabres?
Answer: They flashed the sabres at the Russian army and the Cossacks.
(c) What does the second ‘flash’d’ in the above verse mean?
Answer: The term ‘flash’d’ here means that the soldiers were very quick in their movements and only a flash/quick movement could be seen and not the whole person riding upon his horse.
(d) Why does the poet say ‘while All the world wonder’d’?
Answer: The poet says these words to highlight the fact that the men followed their orders as they were soldiers doing their duty without questioning. Most of them knew that the order was wrong still they did not stop or desert their position. The world wondered at their sincerity and dedication.
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Question 6: Why does the poet use repetition in the poem?
Answer: The rhythm of the repeated lines creates a relentless beat. The beat is continued throughout the poem, reflecting the riding of the Light Brigade into battle on horseback and its return. Tennyson’s use of repetition in the poem is perhaps intended to stress upon and communicate the courage of the soldiers and of the dangers faced by the Brigade armed only with swords against the enemy with guns.
Question 7: In the lines ‘Not though the….. had blundered’, what was the blunder?
Answer: Due to a misunderstanding, an order sent by the commander-in-chief, the British soldiers were ordered to attack the Russians. The British soldiers with only swords and lances went into a valley to attack the Russian army with guns. The Russian army had cannons and guns and was guarding the valley from three sides.
The Charge of the Light Brigade Questions & Answers
Question 8: What does “Then they rode back, but not / Not the six hundred” imply about the soldiers?
Answer: The above lines imply that not all the soldiers of those six hundred of the British Light Brigade returned back. Most of the soldiers perished in the charge. This shows the dedication and courage of the soldiers. They are not bothered about their own lives and followed orders. The poet leaves the number of soldiers who died to the reader’s imagination to emphasize their bravery.
Question 9: Did all the soldiers make the journey back? Cite the lines from the poem that indicate the fate of the soldiers.
Answer: No, all the soldiers did not make the journey back. The light Brigade lost many soldiers and horses, only a few survived.
Storm’d at with shot ……………..horse and hero fell,
All that was left………………of six hundred.
Question 10: How does the poet urge us to regard the light brigade?
Answer: The poet reminds the reader throughout the poem of the tremendous difficulties faced by those at war. They ride without question into the enemy area knowing the outcome could be certain death. Their sacrifice is symbolic of all those who sacrifice their lives for the country so, their glory should not fade.
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Question 11: Does the poem glorify war, courage and honour? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: The Charge of the Light Brigade is a poem that both praises and laments the battle. Soldiers often fight wars with the knowledge that death is almost certain. Tennyson shows how violent and relentless war is by using repetition at the start of each stanza.
The poet celebrates soldiers who conduct themselves according to orders. Words such as ‘glory’, ‘honour’ and ‘noble’ are used by the poet, indications of the admiration he feels for the men who fought in the war. The poem communicates disgust at the treatment of the men of the Light Brigade however, it presents the view that taking orders and serving one’s country is honourable.
Question 12: What is the poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” about?
Answer: The poem tells the story of a brigade consisting of 600 soldiers who rode on horseback into the ‘valley of death’ for half a league. They were attacked by canon shots from both sides and from the front. Yet they rode courageously forward towards their doom. They knew that someone had blundered, but they had discipline and followed their commander’s orders. Most men perished. Some of them were so skilled that they reached the enemy camp at the other end, fought with them and returned back. The bravery and courage of the noblemen of the Light Brigade remain worthy of honour and glory.
So, these were The Charge of the Light Brigade Questions & Answers.