Mametz Wood Flashcards
1
Q
Who was Mametz Wood written by?
A
Owen Sheers
2
Q
When was Mametz Wood written?
A
2005
3
Q
What are some context points about Owen Sheers?
A
- 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
4
Q
What is the significance of the title of Mametz Wood?
A
Foregrounds themes of war, place and death. Puts the soldiers’ resting place at the forefront of the poem
5
Q
“For years afterwards…
A
…the farmers found them”
6
Q
“the wasted…
A
…young”
7
Q
“A chit…
A
…of bone”
8
Q
“the china…
A
…plate of a shoulder blade”
9
Q
“relic…
A
…of a finger”
10
Q
“blown and…
A
…broken bird’s egg of a skull”
11
Q
What is the significance of sound patterns in the second stanza of Mametz Wood?
A
- 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
12
Q
“they were told…
A
… to walk, not run”
13
Q
“nesting…
A
…machine guns.”
14
Q
“earth stands…
A
…sentinel”
15
Q
“reminders…
A
…of what happened”
