Bayonet charge Flashcards
Structure
Use of enjambment throughout the poem creates a disjointed, unordered on the reader and just like the soldier is thrown into a chaotic and disordered event waking into a battle charge, the enjambment reflects this.
could also be interpreted to exacerbate the theme of emotional conflict, with the lines running into each other, as if they are a single stream of consciousness. this could be argued to be mimetic of the soldier’s thoughts which are long, arduous as well as existential and questioning
The use of caesura in the second stanza forces the reader to stop on thinks reflecting on how the soldier wonders about his insignificance, which demonstrates the psychological effects of war as well as contrasting to the first stanza which creates a sense of confusion. the repeated us fo punctuated pauses could be symbolic of how death and injury cause physical pauses and emotional pauses in the soldier’s day
The caesura combined with enjambment enhances the chaotic atmosphere
equal stanzas =regimental structure = life in military, constricted, lack of freedom, and chained to the constant terror
Context
growing up in the post-war era, Hughes saw the effects of the world ars in his hometown - Yorkshire.
Hughes’s father was one of the only survivors of the Gallipoli campaign, leaving him emotionally traumatized for life.
Hughes wanted to highlight the brutality of trench warfare as a tribute to his father’s suffering as well as a way to memorialize war as a warning dor future generations
Suddenly he awoke and was running-
reality of conflict, fear
“suddenly”= in medias res creates an immediate sense of action and alarm, provide the reader with similar feelings of disarray and confusion as he abruptly begins the poem, immediately introducing both the pace and the merciless attitude of war in the poem.
there is almost juxtaposition in tempo as we begin with “suddenly he awoke” and then, immediately faced with a caesura which forces an abrupt halt, slowing the pace of the poem, allowing readers to stop and think, much like the nameless soldier does as the poem progresses.
“Raw in raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy”
reality of war
the repetition of “raw” could emphasize the inexperience of the soldier which could link to how many soldiers in the WW1 were inexperienced and untrained.
the repetition of “raw” could also be interpreted as the shock the soldier has: it is as if he is stuttering, finding it difficult to comprehend what is happening and clearly expresses the moment
The use of the adjective “heavy” to describe his sweat could emphasise how uncomfortable. Also, the long vowels in ‘Sweat heavy’ stretch out the words and create a sense of slowness and awkwardness. this mirrors with his physical discomfort, exhaustion and panic.
the repeated h sounds in “hot” “his” “heavy” imitate the soldier’s heavy breathing as he runs as well as emphasizes his humanity which by the end of the poem is “dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm”
He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm
the simile references the horror of war and how soldiers can become desensitised. highlighted through the adjective ‘smashed’ arm which sounds brutal; one might expect agonising pain, not just numbness.
Also can be interpreted as the soldier being disconnected from his weapon and is uncomfortable holding it, showing his physical unsuitability for his role. this is reinforced, the verb “lugged” implies he is not physically adept enough to carry - physically unprepared for the hardship and strain of war which was the reality for a significant amount of soldiers during WWI
He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm
the simile references the horror of war and how soldiers can become desensitized. highlighted through the adjective ‘smashed’ arm which sounds brutal; one might expect agonizing pain, not just numbness.
Also can be interpreted as the soldier being disconnected from his weapon and is uncomfortable holding it, showing his physical unsuitability for his role. this is reinforced, the verb “lugged” implies he is not physically adept enough to carry - physically unprepared for the hardship and strain of war which was the reality for a significant amount of soldiers during WWI
he almost stopped -
reality of conflict
The dash, forming a caesura, shortens the line abruptly to reflect the soldier’s confusion and sudden inability to run. It also slows down the pace of the stanza which mirrors the soldier slowing down and actually thinking about what he is doing for his country, and also why he is doing it
In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations Was he the hand pointing that second?
(effects of conflict)
Metaphorical “cold clockwork” augments the idea of war being harsh as it directly confronts nations as amcines ith submissive and patriotic men as the cogs that essentially carry out war and sacrifice themselves.
Hughes suggests that the soldier feels insignificant as he is merely the ‘second’ hand on the clock, which although moves the fastest and does the most work, is also the smallest measure of time, reflecting how the soldiers are almost used like pawns in a chess game, exploited by a much larger and more powerful force, rather than being treated as sentient beings.
The hard ‘c’s and ‘k’ in ‘cold clockwork’ are alliterative and harsh and unforgiving, combined with the adjective “cold” creates a sense of spitefulness and unfeeling, reflecting the harsh nature of war.
the long vowels slow the pace. This long, slow line reflects the mechanical nature of the soldier’s experience and the inexorable nature of war.
King, honour, human dignity, etcetera / Dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm
the asyndetic listing of “king, honour, human dignity”, emphasises the grand themes of war that was so heavily showcased in WWI propaganda to persuade soldiers to fight.
This is immediately followed by colloquism and the anticlimax of “etcetera” implying that the soldier no longer has care for these high ideals and could suggest that the soldier now sees war as futile. He could also be frustrated by the inevitability of his death
the verb “dropped” reflects how these high ideals are ignored in place of instinctual self-preservation
by comparing the ideals to “luxuries” Hughes not only suggests how valued these ideas are in society but also how like “luxuries” these ideals our abandoned in crisis
this dehumanises the soldier, especially when he is depicted as an animal through the fact that he does this “in a yelling alarm”
