Russel uses language in The Charge of the Light Brigade to influence his readers into thinking

the charge was heroic by using the quote: “heroic countrymen rushing to the arms of
sudden death.” Here the adjective “heroic” reveals how courageous and brave the soldiers
were, but also the word “countrymen” reveals a sense of sympathy and patriotism. The
soldiers are just ordinary people fighting for their country which makes the reader feel as if
the people in the charge were quite heroic. Furthermore, the juxtaposition between the
phrases “rushing to the arms” and “sudden death” illustrates to the reader how the soldiers
are almost running towards their death as it is almost inevitable. The “rushing to the arm”
usually gives off a warm and happy feeling, like running to a loved one, but the contrast with
“sudden death” shows how this will be the end of the soldiers who fought for their country.

Moreover, Russel uses language to show the heroicness of the charge by using the
metaphor, “a flood of smoke and flame through which hissed the deadly balls”. Here the
word “flood” indicates that the soldiers were almost drowning in the consequences of the
cannon fire, and it also emphasises the enemy’s hostility towards the soldiers. Also, the
opposition is seen as quite threatening and malicious to the soldiers, as they are fighting
with much larger and more damaging weapons. This shows how the soldiers were heroic, as
they never backed down even thought their enemy had the greater advantage. The
onomatopoeia and metaphor “hissed” suggests how dangerous the cannons were to the
soldiers which is reinforced by the word “deadly”. Although the soldiers were face to face
with death, they still carried on running to the opposition in defence of their country.

Although the soldiers are being defeated, which is shown by using the phrases: “diminished”,
“thinned” and “strewn with bodies”, the metaphor “with a halo of flashing steel above their
heads” is used to describe the soldiers. “Halo” is usually used biblically to describe important
things or people, like angels. Here the word “halo” could be used to describe the soldiers as
being angelic, as they’re seen as courageous and heroic. The soldiers could be seen as a
sacrifice for their country, showing them in positive way and showing them to fight even
though the advantage is not with them.