The charge represents warfare's most kinetic and dramatic moment, a surge of collective momentum toward violent confrontation, immortalized in poems like Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade." Poets use the charge to capture both the exhilarating courage and devastating futility of committed offensive action, particularly when such charges result in catastrophic losses against superior defensive positions, making the term synonymous with tragic heroism in military poetry.

A charge is a rapid, often aggressive advance by troops toward an enemy position. Charges are typically made at close range to overwhelm defenders with shock and momentum. The bayonet charge, cavalry charge, and infantry charge were standard tactics until the twentieth century. The charge requires extraordinary courage, as soldiers must advance through deadly fire. In poetry, the charge embodies the pinnacle of military heroism—the moment when soldiers cast aside fear and rush toward danger. The phrase "fix bayonets" often precedes a charge, adding to its dramatic intensity. Related terms include assault, sortie, and forlorn hope—a charge with little chance of success. The psychological dynamics of a charge, with its screaming, adrenaline, and compressed time, have been vividly captured in war poetry and memoirs.