Starter quiz
- What is the meaning of ‘charge’ in this sentence: "The bull lowered its horns and charged."
- rush forward in attack ✓
- store electrical energy in
- demand a price
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- What does it mean to 'glorify' someone?
- describing someone after they have died
- describing someone as admirable ✓
- describing someone's duty or obligations
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- What is a ballad?
- a poem which narrates a story ✓
- a 14 line poem often about love
- a first person narrative where we only hear one perspective
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- Each section in a poem is called a…
- paragraph.
- segment.
- pentameter.
- stanza. ✓
- quatrain.
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- What does it mean to be patriotic?
- to reject your country
- to be devoted to your country ✓
- to live in a country different to the one you were born in
- being indifferent to the affairs of your country
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- Match the poetic technique to the division they fall under
- Form⇔sonnet, ballad, dramatic monologue ✓
- Language⇔imagery, semantic field, rhetorical question ✓
- Structure⇔enjambment, caesura, repetition ✓
Exit quiz
- What form is 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' and why might Tennyson have chosen this form?
- sonnet to express his patriotism
- ballad to commemorate the bravery of the British cavalry ✓
- dramatic monologue to show the perspective of the cavalry men
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- Which battle does the poem 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' reflect on?
- Battle of Hastings
- Battle of Balaclava ✓
- Battle of the Somme
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- Which sentence(s) accurately summarise the events of 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'?
- The British cavalry charge to one of their greatest victories in history.
- The British cavalry manage to defeat the vast Russian army.
- The ill-equipped British cavalry charge towards heavy fire from the enemy. ✓
- The British cavalry charge towards great danger due to a military blunder. ✓
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- What does the last stanza of 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' do?
- reveals the blunder of the commanding officers
- reveals the vast bloodshed
- memorialises the British cavalry ✓
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- Which line from 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' portrays the glorification of the bravery of the British cavalry?
- “Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!”
- ''Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why''
- ''Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them''
- ''Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade'' ✓
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- How may Tennyson’s role as Poet Laureate have affected the way he portrays the battle in 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'?
- This role gave him the freedom to report on military feats in any manner
- This role gave him a duty to reflect the country favourably ✓
- This role gave him power to expose those in authority positions.
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Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The poem documents the lightly armed British cavalry receiving a "blunder'd" order and charging into enemy fire.
- Tennyson urges remembrance of the soldiers' actions, but also highlights the oversight that led to their deaths.
- Poet Laureate was an appointment made by the monarch and Tennyson was appointed to this position in 1850.
- Tennyson’s role as Poet Laureate may have affected how he would have written about the Battle of Balaclava.
- Tennyson's glorification of their bravery and use of euphemisms may have reflected his national duty.
Common misconception
The poem merely documents a battle where many soldiers die.
The poem addresses the issues of military error and blind obedience.
Keywords
Ballad - a poem narrating a story for future generations to hear
Memorialise - to preserve the memory of, honour or commemorate
Euphemism - when a mild word or expression is used as a substitute for a harsh one
Glorification - the action of describing something as admirable, especially unjustifiably
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