Bayonet Charge Flashcards
Who wrote bayonet charge and when
Ted Hughes in 1957
Summary of bayonet charge
describes the thoughts and behaviours of a soldier in the midst of a battle during World War I, the main message was 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.
Key themes in bayonet charge
Explores idea of the soldier being a machine
Brutality for war
Patriotism
Reality of war
Context of bayonet charge
-Hughes himself had a deep connection to the traumatic legacies of war, particularly World War I, as his father had fought in the war and was heavily affected by it. In writing Bayonet Charge, Hughes draws on the collective trauma and disillusionment that soldiers felt after facing the horrors of war
-the ideals of war was particularly apparent during World War I, as soldiers who had been motivated by patriotism quickly became disillusioned by the brutality and senselessness of the conflict. The mechanized nature of the war, where soldiers were treated as cogs in a vast machine, led many to question the meaning of their sacrifice and the ideals they had once believed in.
Structure and form of bayonet charge
-enjambement is used to create a feeling of urgency as the soldier is caught up in the stream of consciousness, with his thoughts flowing uncontrollably as he experiences intense fear, confusion, and adrenaline. The continuous flow of lines reflects the unpredictability of battle, where there is no room for rational thought or pauses.
-Hughes leaves the reader with a sense of unfinished business, reflecting the continuous, unresolved nature of war. The lack of resolution reflects the idea that war is not a singular event with a clear outcome, but an ongoing experience that can leave individuals physically and emotionally scarred.
-Hughes’ decision to avoid a regular rhyme scheme also contributes to the sense of alienation and discomfort experienced by the soldier. The soldier’s journey is not one of calm or rationality but rather one of intense emotion and unpredictable physical action. This structure makes the reader feel as though they, too, are thrown into the midst of battle, with no fixed path or rhythm to follow.
Key quotes of bayonet charge
‘Cold clockwork’
‘King honour human dignity etcetera dropped like luxuries ‘
‘“His terror touchy dynamite”
“Suddenly he awoke and was running- raw”
Analyse quote ‘his terrors touchy dynamite “
-metaphor that encapsulates the transformation of the soldier into a creature entirely driven by fear and violence
-The use of “touchy” further amplifies this image, implying that the soldier’s terror is highly sensitive and volatile, ready to ignite under the slightest provocation. In this sense, the soldier’s fear has become almost like a weapon, one that is unpredictable and capable of extreme destruction at any moment. This is a reflection of how fear, in the context of war, can overwhelm a soldier’s reason and turn him into a reactive, uncontrollable being. It is no longer about thinking or making decisions; instead, the soldier is simply driven by the instinct to survive, much like an explosive device waiting to be set off.
-The repeated “t” sounds are staccato and harsh, mirroring the quick, erratic heartbeat of a soldier consumed by fear. This sound mirrors the violence of war and the tension of the soldier’s situation, as if every moment is a ticking time bomb. The harshness of the sounds reflects the intensity of his emotional and physical experience, evoking the tension and volatility that is central to his mental state.
Analyse quote ‘cold clockwork’
-The word “clockwork” suggests something that is precise, calculated, and inescapable, implying that the soldier’s movements are part of a pre-determined mechanism beyond his control. This reinforces the idea that war is not about heroism or individual action, but rather about soldiers being used as disposable parts of a larger war machine.
-metaphor that likens war to a machine like system emphasising its impersonal nature, The word “cold” adds to this sense of detachment and inhumanity. It conveys a lack of emotion, warmth, or compassion, implying that the decisions made in war—whether by governments, generals, or fate itself—are purely strategic and devoid of personal concern
- “clockwork” relates with time suggesting that the soldier feels trapped within an unchanging cycle of violence and war, there is an inevitability about the soldiers fats, it was determined before he even stepped onto the battlefieldfate
Analyse quote “Suddenly he awoke and was running – raw”
-the poem starts in media res with the adverb “suddenly” which conveys a sense of abruptness and urgency, this opening word creates a feeling of immediate disorientation, mirroring the soldiers own confusion as he finds himself in the midst of a terrifying battle. The use of media res throws the reader directly into the soldiers experience, there is no background, no explanation just pure immediate movement reflecting the way war forces soldiers to act instinctively with time for rational thought
-use of word “raw” implies that the soldier is young, untrained for what he is facing reinforcing the theme of disillusionment where an idealistic young soldier is suddenly confronted with the grim reality of war
-lack of name or identity in this line makes him feel universal and interchangeable which reflects how soldiers in war are often treated as disposable tools of combat rather than individuals with personal identities.
Analyse quote ‘king honour human dignity etcetera dropped like luxeries’
-The phrase also critiques the romanticized portrayal of war often found in literature, propaganda, and political speeches. Throughout history, soldiers have been encouraged to fight in the name of king, country, and honour, but Hughes reveals the hypocrisy behind this rhetoric. Once in battle, soldiers realize that they have been misled—there is no glory in war, only terror and desperation. The soldier does not think about these concepts when facing death; instead, he is reduced to pure survival instincts.
-This suggests that, in war, these values are expendable—they hold no real weight when a soldier is running for his life. This simile also implies that these values were never truly useful in war, reinforcing Hughes’ cynical view of how war strips away morality and purpose.
