Theirs not to reason why

I first heard these lines, while I was watching some hollywood movie. Immediately the phrases spellbound me with its brilliance. So armed with the power of Google Baba I did a few clicks, some type here, some type there and here it was. I was so much enthralled by the prose that I decided to publish it in my blog.

The concerned poem has been written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in the year 1854. He titled it "The Charge of the Light Brigade".It is about the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War.

To appreciate it, one has to look into the context in which Lord wrote these lines.

The soldiers knew that there is only death in charging ahead and fighting, but still they don't question and follow their commander. Why? Why were these 600 men so motivated? Was it courage? Yes, courage it was, but courage can only take them to the battle-field, it cannot equip them with the aggression and rage, which propelled them to face the cannons.

So what was it then?

In true sense it was Honour; honour in serving one's land, honour in fighting alongside their batallion, honour of not questioning their commandant.

Honour of Dying in a battlefield...

Half a league half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred:

'Forward, the Light Brigade!

Charge for the guns' he said:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'

Was there a man dismay'd ?

Not tho' the soldier knew

Some one had blunder'd:

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do & die,

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Volley'd & thunder'd;

Storm'd at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of Hell

Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,

Flash'd as they turn'd in air

Sabring the gunners there,

Charging an army while

All the world wonder'd:

Plunged in the battery-smoke

Right thro' the line they broke;

Cossack & Russian

Reel'd from the sabre-stroke,

Shatter'd & sunder'd.

Then they rode back, but not

Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon behind them

Volley'd and thunder'd;

Storm'd at with shot and shell,

While horse & hero fell,

They that had fought so well

Came thro' the jaws of Death,

Back from the mouth of Hell,

All that was left of them,

Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wonder'd.

Honour the charge they made!

Honour the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred!

Note: I don't know if I am doing some copyright violations by republishing these poem. As I am not aiming to make any profits from it, so I guess my intentions are right. I can be in peace.

Still if someone thinks it is a copyright violation, then just leave a valid comment and I will remove the post.