Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes Flashcards
Summary:
A clumsy and confused soldier is thrown into battle completely unprepared. He takes a pause to consider his role in the war. A hare gets thrown in front of him, which enables him to jolt back to consciousness and realises the danger he is in - thus he reverts to his instincts and runs towards the battle in fear.
Where did Hughes grow up and how is this evident?
In rural Yorkshire, shown in his focus on animals within his work. (
What shows Hughes studied mythology?
The image of the yellow hare and the anthropology ( the study of what makes us human), as shown through the poem’s fixation on instinctual behaviour.
What is the poem a tribute to, perhaps?
Hughes’ father who survived the Gallipoli campaign, leaving him emotionally traumatised for the rest of his life - thus it is thought bayonet charge was written to highlight the brutality of trench warfare as a tribute to father’s suffering, as a way to memorialize war as a warning for future generations.
Which word/phrase thrusts the reader into the action and relates to the idea of waking up?
‘Suddenly’, the first word of the poem.
What technique creates a sense of desparation?
The repetition of ‘raw’ - raw has animalistic connotations which denotes the lack of humanity in the situation.
What perspective is the poem written in and how does this impact narrative.
Third person, allowing a limited narrative perspective - allowing the reader to focus on the individual impact of the war.
What else does the perspective of the poem emphasise?
The third person singular perspective emphasises the isolation felt by soldiers in the war - as the protagonist is the only human in the poem, he is isolated from help or comfort.
What does the emphasis of the perspective suggest?
His isolation intensifies his suffering of the speaker and enables the audience to focus on the impact war has on them (shows that, despite fighting in an army, a battle is about self-preservation and they are ultimately on their own)
How does Hughes mirror the chaos and panic of war?
Through chaotic structure
