Bayonet Charge Flashcards
Who is the poet?
Ted Hughes
What do the words ‘sweat, stumble, dazzle, smack, numb, tear’ have in common?
They all refer to senses.
Describes the overwhelming emotions and shock the soldier experiences.
What is the poem about?
A WW1 soldier (imagined account)
Focuses on the reality and true horrors of war
How does the poem begin?
Mid-action - ‘suddenly he awoke and was running’
Makes the reader confused, replicating the soldier’s feelings.
‘Sweat heavy’ and ‘stumbling’ in the first stanza contrast the idea of patriotism
How many similes are used and why?
6!
Suggests Hughes doesn’t know how to describe these moments, it’s difficult to put into words and the feelings are indescribable. The best he can do is compare them to something else.
Overwhelming use of similes = express the sheer horror of war
Give two examples of similes?
‘Lugged a rifle as numb as a smashed arm’
‘Like molten iron from the centre of his chest’
When is caesura used and why?
GOOD ONE TO REMEMBER
Only used 2x in the second stanza. This is when the soldier stops to consider why he is running.
It slows down the pace of the read - physically and mentally like the soldier.
It causes difficulty for the reader and forces them to question the point of war with the soldier.
What is the comparison between the first and last stanza?
‘Patriotic tear’
‘Dropped like luxuries’
Stanza 1: fighting for the country with pride
Stanza 2: he’s lost everything and is fighting to stay alive
What does this quote mean?
‘King, honour, human dignity, ectetera’
GOOD ONE TO REMEMBER
It is a mocking tone which critisizes the patriotism soldiers have.
The colloquial tone devalues the glory of war - harsh critique
‘Human dignity’
The hierarchy pf importance is lost in war, no one has value on a battlefield!
What 2 key points would you use in an answer?
Comparison between 1st and last stanza:
Patriotic compared to survival running
Mocking tone criticising the patriotism soldiers have & colloquial tone devaluing war
‘Human dignity’ - laughing at heirarchy/no one has value on the battlefield
Overwhelming use of similes
6 - device used to express the sheer horror of indescribable war
Quotes to remember for your 2 key points?
Comparison between 1st & last stanza:
‘Patriotic tear’
‘King, honour, human dignity, etcetera’
‘Dropped like luxuries’
Simile use:
‘Lugged a rifle as numb as a smashed arm’
‘Like molten iron from the centre of his chest’
