Alfred Lord Tennyson, an English poet often considered the leading exponent of the Victorian era in poetry, wrote "Charge of the Light Brigade", a poem to commemorate a battle courageously carried out. by British troops during the Crimean War. In this poem, Tennyson expresses the deep emotions he felt after reading a newspaper in which there was an account of the Battle of Balaclava, a battle lost by the British. This poem presents the theme of courage and honor, as demonstrated by the author's use of details, diction, and imagery. Alfred was the fourth of 12 children, born into an old Lincolnshire family. His father was a rector and sent him and two of his older brothers to Leuth Grammar School in 1815, when Alfred was only 6 years old. In 1820, Alfred returned home and, under his father's teaching, became a promising writer who, before his teens, had already composed in the styles of Alexander Pope, Sir Walter Scott and John Milton (Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition , 1). At the age of 13, his father's health began to deteriorate, leading to unhappiness at home and feelings of depression for young Alfred; but he continued to write. Alfred attended Trinity College, Cambridge, where he became a member of a secret society called the Cambridge Apostles and where he met his lifelong friend Arthur Hallam (Mazzeno, 4). At Trinity, Alfred was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal with a poem called Timbooctu, which was quite an achievement for the young Tennyson. Before Alfred could complete his education, his father died and he had to return to his family to help support them (Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition, 2).Tennyson suffered a series of events that finally resulted in...... middle of document ......d81%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9bHJjLWxpdmU%3d#db=lfh&AN=103331MP419739560000356>.Kornman, Robin. “The Lotos Eaters.” Ebsco. Salem Press, January 2002. Web. March 19, 2012. .Mazzeno, Laurence W. "Alfred, Lord Tennyson." Ebsco. Salem Press, September 2002. Web. March 19, 2012. .Myslinki, Stephen V. “Crossing the Bar.” Ebsco. Salem Press, January 2002. Web. March 19. 2012. .