Alfred Lord Tennyson, an English poet often considered the foremost representative of the Victorian age in poetry, wrote "Charge of the Light Brigade", a poem to commemorate a battle bravely fought by British troops in the Crimean War. In this poem, Tennyson expresses the deep emotions he felt after reading a newspaper about the Battle of Balaclava, a battle that the English lost. This poem features a theme of courage and honor, as we can see from the author's use of detail, diction, and imagery. Alfred was the fourth of 12 children, born into an old Lincolnshire family. His father was a rector who 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 the teachings of his father became a promising writer who, before his adolescence, had already composed in the style of Alexander Pope, Sir Walter Scott and John Milton (Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition, 1). When he was 13, his father's health began to fail, which led to domestic unhappiness and a feeling of depression in 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 also met his lifelong friend Arthur Hallam (Mazzeno, 4). While at Trinity, Alfred received the Chancellor's Gold Medal with a poem entitled 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 underwent a series of events that ultimately culminated in...... middle of paper ......d81%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9bHJjLWxpdmU%3d#db=lfh&AN=103331MP419739560000356>.Kornman, Robin. "The Lotus 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. .