Bayonet Charge

Question 1

what is the poem about (4)

Answer 1

1 a soldier runs through rifle fire, holding a rifle with a bayonet attached
2 the soldier becomes confused and pauses for a split second, unsure what he is doing
3 the soldier notices a hare in the battle field which thrashes about, dying and he thinks why he is doing it
4 the soldier stops thinking and resumes the charge. It is not clear if he dies, but he is definitely affected

Question 2

what form does the poem take (3)

Answer 2

1 mostly blank verse - iambic pentameter but doesn’t rhyme
2 the irregular rhythm mirrors the soldier struggling through the mud
3 the narrator uses the pronoun he rather than naming the soldier to keep him anonymous and suggests he is a universal figure

Question 3

What is the structure of the poem (3)

Answer 3

1 enjambment are used to show the confusion and erratic nature
2 Stanza 1 the soldier appears to be acting on instinct
3 stanza 2 thinking what he is doing and why
stanza 3 seems to have lost humanity

Question 4

what is the key context (5)

Answer 4

1 poem is set in WW1 though much was written later- Hughes writes about a war he didn’t experience
2Hughes father served in and survived WW1 but was emotionally affected
3 Hughes spent 2 years as a mechanic in RAF
4 Hughes was inspired by poets like Wilfred Owen
5 Hughes was obsessed with astrology

Question 5

what is the poets message (3)

Answer 5

1 conflict can cause humans to loose their humanity and act like predators
2 horrors of war are indescribable
3 man and nature are at odds with each other

Question 6

key quote (6)

Answer 6

1 bullets smacking the belly out of the air - the sound and force of the bullets metaphor helps reader imagine their force of them coming out and hitting the air
2 in what cold clockwork/ the hand that pointed that second -links to clock mechanism it implies the soldier has no control over his fate - he is a cog in a bigger machine
3 his sweet heavy - imagery - the soldier feels literally weighed down by the sweet caused by fear
4 king honour human dignity-..etcetera patriotic words become unimportant shows how unimportant patriotism has become compared to survival-
5 in bewilderment then he almost stopped - shows the soldiers confusion is so overwhelming he almost stops- the reader becomes concerned for his safety.
6 he lugged a riffle numb as a smashed arm - simile shows physical and mental strain on soldiers and foreshadows injury to the soldier

Question 7

which poem would compare well

Answer 7

remains

Question 8

how do they compare

Answer 8

1 both present idea personal impact on soldier
2 both focus on mental conflict of the soldier
3 in Bayonet charge indicates realities of war are still important and real but in remains memories are distant and soldier has become numb to them.
4 both use colloquial language in bayonet charge it is used etcetera following positive list of positive words - to show these are destroyed during war and unlike unwanted memories are easily forgotten. In remains colloquial language indicates how war has numbed the solider to the violence, becoming
desensitised to the blood and guts.