‘The Charge of the Light Brigade,’ an illustration for Tennyson’s poem, 1866. Wood engraving drawn by Homer and cut by an unknown engraver. 3½ x 4 inches. Gems from Tennyson (1866), 148. Homer’s design, both brutal and incongruous, sums up the poem’s combination of suffering and absurdity as cavalry of the Light Brigade were sent to their doom by the incompetence of their command: (yet more) lions led by donkeys.
Photograph and text by Simon Cooke. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Bibliography
Gems from Tennyson. Boston; Ticknor and Fields, 1866.
Created 29 August 2023