Mametz Wood Flashcards
Who was Mametz Wood written by?
Owen Sheers
When was Mametz Wood written?
2005
What are some context points about Owen Sheers?
- Welsh poet, playwright, author and TV presenter
- Mametz Wood is based in Mametz Wood at the Battle of the Somme 1916 WW1
- 38th Welsh Division told to walk towards German troops, thus facing certain death: 4000 men died
- Visited Mametz Wood many times, feeling that, like the remains of the soldiers, his fascination kept resurfacing
What is the significance of the title of Mametz Wood?
Foregrounds themes of war, place and death. Puts the soldiers’ resting place at the forefront of the poem
“For years afterwards…
…the farmers found them”
“the wasted…
…young”
“A chit…
…of bone”
“the china…
…plate of a shoulder blade”
“relic…
…of a finger”
“blown and…
…broken bird’s egg of a skull”
What is the significance of sound patterns in the second stanza of Mametz Wood?
- Alliterative “ch”
- Assonance “a” (long)
- Assonance “o” (long)
- Plosive alliteration “b”
Draws attention to broken images
Might allude to Welsh context
War’s power is so strong, it forces itself into the sounds of poetry
“they were told…
… to walk, not run”
“nesting…
…machine guns.”
“earth stands…
…sentinel”
“reminders…
…of what happened”
“twenty men…
…buried in one long grave”
“broken…
…mosaic of bone”
“paused mid…
…dance-macabre”
“socketed…
heads tilted back at an angle”
“notes…
…they had sung”
“slipped…
…from their absent tongues”
What is the form of Mametz Wood?
An elegy (sad mournful poem), a lament for the dead. Long sentences and enjambment creates a slow, reflective tone, paying tribute to the soldiers.
What is Mametz Wood about?
Sheers writes Mametz Wood to acknowledge young soldiers who died under poor leadership. He criticises the wastefulness of war.
