"The Charge of the Light Brigade" Alfred, Lord Tennyson

His most famous poem - but he was forced to write it because he was Poet Laureate. Although memorable, its jaunty metre doesn't suit the topic.

It provides a famous mondegreen "Haffely, Gaffely, Gaffely, Gonward".

There's a story about an early electricity supplier, then primarily used for lighting, who ended his speech with "Honour the Light Brigade". Whereat some wag at the back piped up "Oh, what a charge they made".

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Charge
• Light
• Brigade
• Tennyson

[reprimand33]

Honour!!! Bloody hell man!!! not honor!!!

[SpokenVerse]

I have no defence. I picked an American version to copy. Interestingly though, "honor the light brigade" gets more hits on Google - 681 and against 652 for the British spelling.

[adam13weishaupt]

In fact, only 599 of them charged the Russian lines. The 600th was a secret reasoner and went for the commanding officer who had issued the murderous order.

[Huttate1]

Was this the last epic war poem? I picked up a book of Greek poetry today, written in 1915 with a postscript that the [great] war would add to the cannon. But has there been any epic poetry since this?

[stairwaytoheaven321]

@MrWhysoserious666

Later Greek accounts give the total of defenders as 7000 at the start of the battle.

When Leonidas gave permission for their allies to leave, because the Persian Immortals had been led through the mountain pass, the Thespians stayed, stating 'Where stands Sparta, there stand we'

[Justin4090]

@MrWhysoserious666

no not only the Spartans fought, about the second day there was a rumor that Persians were going to attack a near by city (forgive me i cant recall the name) so the troops stationed at the mountain pass retreated to defend the city, this is how the Persians were able to flank the Spartans.

[MrWhysoserious666]

@Justin4090 yeah and when given the option of surrender only the spartans fought. pussy ass bitches

[Justin4090]

@MrWhysoserious666 actually it was 300 Spartans but there was another 1000 soldiers. So technically 1299 fought...approximately

[MrWhysoserious666]

@adam13weishaupt its like the battle of thermopalae in ancient greece. Technically only 299 fought cause someone had to live and tell the tale

[fixdeluxe1]

Perhaps the best piece of poetic battle ever written!

[allurbase1]

awsome did any one notace they quotated this in saveing private ryan