Bayonet Charge Flashcards
who wrote bayonet charge
Ted Hughes
In what cold clockwork of the
In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations/Was he the hand pointing that second
- cacophonous alliteration reflects the mechanical nature of the soldier’s experience, and the inexorable nature of war, not only that of the poem but all conflicts.
- Hand could be a synecdoche for the nation he represents, as he represents a microcosm of the problems that soldiers go through.
- Could be referring to the hand on the clock, highlighting the second or time that he pauses in confusion
King, honour human
King, honour, human dignity etcetera/ Dropped like luxuries
et cetera is dismissive, highlighting the insignificance of warfare
criticism of war propaganda by using a lexical field of ideal conventions of soldiers, highlighting their pressures; etcetera acts as bathos, as the soldiers are expected to become quintessential, yet their efforts are just dismissed by the authorities.
His terror’s touchy
His terror’s touchy dynamite
alliteration represents his fear
‘Dynamite’ represents the explosiveness of the weapons, and his equally explosive fear. Finally ‘dynamite’ could indicate that the soldiers have lost their humanity and are reduced to weapons.
Last four lines get progressively shorter, indicating his progressive deterioration of his mental state, and how he is being overcame by fear.
suddenly he
suddenly he awoke and was running raw
Structural features in Bayonet Charge
in media res captures the readers interest and helps us to understand the soldiers thoughts and feelings.
- “suddenly he awoke and was running raw”
- alternatively it could be a flashback, describing the soldier’s shell shock and PTSD.
Context in Bayonet Charge (in media Res)
Initial stages of WW1 heavily advocated for patriotism, leading many young men to feel inclined to protect their country. However, as the war progressed, men became weary about going to war. There was social disregard for these men and it could even lead to imprisonment. The word “suddenly” can help to portray this sudden awakening.
structural features - stanzas
3 stanzas, but reads like a continuous free verse narration. The long scansion helps to slow down the poem, and could reflect the soldiers slow and greuling embankment through the mud. Further exemplifying his pain to the reader
ted hughes context
poet laurette
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 for future generations
