P.T.

II COURSE

CLASS- VII

SUB- ENGLISH

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

Read to understand

A. Answer these questions with reference to the context.

‘Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Someone had blundered:’
1. What does ‘dismay’d’ mean ?
Ans. Dismay’d means loss of courage or distressed.
2. What was the blunder? Who do you think had blundered?
Ans. To charge into the valley of death was the blunder.
The commander or the man who had given the command to charge down the
valley had blundered.
3. Who suffered because of the blunder?
Ans. The six hundred British soldiers suffered because of the blunder.
B. Answer these questions.
1. Why do the soldiers charge at their opponents despite knowing that it was a
blunder?
Ans- Despite knowing that it was a blunder, the soldiers charged at their opponants
because they had no real choice but to obey the order. They made the charge
because they were disciplined not to question their senior officers but only to follow
the given order and fight for their motherland.
2. Which lines in the poem indicate that the soldiers were trapped from three sides as
they charged into the battle?
Ans. The lines which indicate that the soldiers were trapped from three sides are-
Cannon to right of them
Cannon to left of them
Cannon in front of them
3. Which two phrases does the poet use to describe the danger which the cavalrymen
were riding into?
Ans. The two phrases which the poet uses to describe the danger the cavalrymen
were riding into are-
i) Into the valley of death

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 ii) Into the mouth of hell
4. Which lines tell us that the soldiers of the Light Brigade were really effective in their
attack?
Ans. The lines which tells us that the soldiers of the Light Brigade were really
effective in their attack are-
i) Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army,…
ii) Cossack and Russian
Reel’d from the sabre stroke
5. Explain the meaning of the lines ‘Then they rode back, but not/Not the six hundred’.
Ans. Six hundred British soldiers charged at their opponants i.e the Russians but not
all the six hundred soldiers could come back safely because many of them were
killed by the Russians in the battle.
6. What is the poet’s appeal to his readers towards the end of the poem?
Ans. The poet appeals the readers to honour the ‘Light Brigade’ i.e the noble 600
British soldiers who fought so well in the battle risking their lives.. The poet appeals
the readers to honour the courage and heroism displayed by the British cavalrymen
during the Battle of Balaclava.

Discuss and write

1. The world has witnessed many wars. The result has been loss of lives and
destruction of property. It took countries years to revive from the effects of war.
Was it really worth it? Can the issues between countries be sorted through
peace talks? Discuss.
Ans. Yes, the issues between countries can be sorted through peace talks. War
brings nothing but only destruction. It takes away many lives. So the countries
should try to solve the issues through peace talks so that the lives of innocent
people can be saved. The countries should avoid engaging in any kind of war and
violence, and should spread the message of peace.