bayonet charge

Question 1

what does the perspective highlight (form)

Answer 1

• 3rd person singular ,allowing poet to focus on showing the reader how war impacts 1 person through the perspective of that person
• by showing the war through the eyes of the soldier , Hughes makes it impossible to view war favourably , rather than the soldiers object terror is rubbed off on the reader
• singular perspective also focuses on the isolation felt by soldiers , thrust into a life / death situation with no means of hope / comfort . Hughes presents it as ironic that in an army of 1000s each & every 1 feels so lonely

Question 2

what does the enjambment highlight (structure)

Answer 2

• entirety of 1st stanza is in one sentence - maintains cadence of a bayonet charge, allowing reader to fully feel the panic & terror of the solider
• by his generous use of enjambment , Hughes stops the reader from pausing to take a break - creates an atmosphere of breathlessness + chaos , once more not allowing the reader to get comfortable / settle into a rhythm whilst reading the poem - allows reader to emphasize with soldier.
• enjambment also means many lines flow into the next unhindered , perhaps trying to mirror how the terrifying moments of war blend into 1 stream for the soldier