In an effort to learn more of the historical context to ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade,’ an event of no military significance that has become iconic in the British historical imagination, I am listening to Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the battle and eventually the poem as part of the ‘In Our Time Archive: Culture.’
The debacle of the Charge of the Light Brigade, which made little difference to the Crimean War latterly has become deeply embedded in British culture. Hence why we were learning about it today in class. It helped to provoke the resignation of a Prime Minister and it profoundly changed British attitudes to war and to the soldiers who fought in them. It also brought censorship to bear on previously uncensored war reporting and inspired Alfred, Lord Tennyson to sit down and write “All in the Valley of Death rode the six hundred”.
With Mike Broers, Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall; Trudi Tate, Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge; Saul David, Visiting Professor of Military History at the University of Hull.
Although I found it an most amazing learning opportunity, it may not be to every Year 10s listening preferences. A fantastic extension task or A Level resource. What is more, whilst plundering the archive I also found resources on Shakespeare, metaphor and a whole host of history, religion, philosophy, and science chaired discussions. You must admire the BBC archiving, all are available to listen to or download.
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