THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

1. About which war was "The Charge of the Light Brigade" written?
The Crimean War
2. According to the first stanza of "The Charge of the Light Brigade", how many
British forces rode into the battle?
Six hundred
3. In stanza one, what does the phrase the Valley of Death refer to?
The valley where the British soldiers rode/ the battle occured.
4. Why do you think the poet refers the valley as The Valley of Death?
It is because the soldiers knew that they were going to lose in the battle and they
would die.
5. Why did the soldiers ride to their death?
They had to obey their commanders order.
6. In stanza 1, what was the light brigade ordered to do?
They were ordered to move forward on a frontal assault against a well-armed
Russian soldiers/ to attack the Russian soldiers
7. What kind of weapons did the Light Brigade have?
Spears, swords and bows
8. What weapons did their opponents/enemies have?
Cannons, rifles
9. In stanza 2, what does the word dismayed suggest?
It means to lose your courage/ to be overcome by terror or sadness
10. Did the British soldiers feel discouraged? Why?
No, they did not. It was because they were carrying out their duty and if they were
to die, they would die with honour/ They had to obey the command of their leader.
11. In stanza 2, what does the line Someone had blundered suggests?
The commanding officer had made a stupid and clumsy mistake by ordering them
to charge the well-prepared Russian soldiers/ the leader had made a mistake in
giving order
12. Write the meanings of the following lines:
i.
Theirs not to reply : The soldiers must not talk back to their
commanders.
ii.

Theirs not to reason why : They must follow the orders without
asking why.

iii.

Theirs but to do and die :All they could do was to ride and fight and
possibly die in the battle.

13. Who won the battle?

The Russian soldiers
14. Give two adjectives to describe the six hundred men?
Courageous/ brave/ noble/ heroic/ loyal/ patriotic/obedient
15. If you were in the army and your commander told you to fight in a battle where
you would most likely die, what would you do? Why?
16. Do you believe that war is sometimes necessary? Why?
17. Is it noble to follow orders without asking questions? Why?

FIT/SMKAM/FEB 2015