Detail from The Charge of the Light Brigade by Thomas
Jones Barker (1815-1882). Barker's famous painting of The Charge of The Light
Brigade depicts Lord Cardigan amongst the Russian guns with the 13th Light
Dragoons and 17th Lancers.
Just a quick
post about Alfred Tennyson's poem, 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'
published on this day in 1854 in a magazine called The Examiner. The magazine
was giving a retelling of British involvement in the Crimean War. The Crimean
War fought 1853-56, involved both British and French military forces fighting
Russian expansionism for control over the Ottoman Empire. Tennyson, then Poet
Laureate wrote his The Charge of the Light Brigade in response to The
Examiner's article.
In 1854,
Alfred and his wife Emily were enjoying their life at their home Farringford on
the Isle of Wight. Their first born son, Hallam was two years old and Emily was
pregnant and about to give birth to their second son, Lionel at the time 'The
Charge of the Light Brigade' was published and the Crimean War was
happening. "Shortly before Lionel's birth Tennyson had built a
hut of rushes for Emily to lie in shelter looking at the downs. 'Sitting there
we heard the sound of the cannon practising for the Crimea. Their booming
sounded somewhat knell-like.' Emily vowed that the first songs she would teach
her sons would be patriotic ones, and the mood of the house may be judged by
little Hallam's war games in which he would roll on the floor and say, 'This is
the way the Russians fall when they are killed.' Tennyson was so moved by the
newspaper account that on 2 December he wrote 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'
in one sitting and sent it off to John Forster at The Examiner, where it was
printed on 9 December. Tennyson was worried that the number of men riding into
the valley of death had actually been 700 rather than the 600 mentioned in The
Times, but he and Emily decided that the metre was more important than
numerical accuracy. Despite his worries about the quality of the poem it was an
instant success, and within a few months Tennyson was sending 1,000 copies to
the soldiers at Sevastopol for their inspiration." (Tennyson
The Unquiet Heart A Biography by Robert Bernard Martin, pg. 381).
Alfred
Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (1809-1892) with his wife Emily (1813-1896) and
his sons Hallam (1852-1928) and Lionel (1854-1886). Albumen print circa 1862. Oscar Gustave Rejlander.
To read Tennyson's handwritten poem, The Charge of the Light Brigade
2 comments:
Hello Kimberly,
How interesting what can be achieved when one is enthused by something so exciting as the charge. Of course at the time of writing it would have been thought the Light Brigade was invincible and the horrors of the slaughter would not have even been conceived.
It's also interesting to note the boys in the photograph lookeing awfully like girls, as was the way in the Victorian era amongst the rich and privileged.
Thank you for posting.
Regards
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
I was struck by the fact that Alfred Tennyson actually sent copies of his poem to Russian soldiers. The clothing of Tennyson's boys is always a subject for discussion. To think it was the fashion of the day or just what they liked! As well as the long hair! I think its charming,though!
Post a Comment