Mametz wood - Owen Sheers

Question 1

“For years afterwards…”

Answer 1

We are introduced with this phrase, which suggests that the horror of war, and this particular tragedy still affects us.

Question 2

“broken bird’s egg of a skull” “chine plate shoulder blade” “relic of a finger” etc

Answer 2

The semantic field of metaphors of a “china plate” and “broken bird’s egg” emphasise how fragile and precious the human body is.

Question 3

“To walk, not run”

Answer 3

The command “to walk, not run” creates a cynical tone to the poem - the poet clearly felt the orders sent the soldiers to their deaths, and reflect on how the war needless slaughtered men

Question 4

“This morning”

Answer 4

the poem switches to the present tense and makes the tragedy seem more immediate and real for the reader. Repetition of the fact that the aftermath of the war can still be felt today

Question 5

“broken mosaic of bone”

Answer 5

The noun “mosaic” demonstrates the intricate and beautiful nature of the human body, and emphasises how precious the body is

Question 6

“linked arm in arm,”

Answer 6

The phrase “linked arm in arm” suggests the soldiers were close as a division and stayed together as a team, even in death.

Question 7

“absent tongues”

Answer 7

The final stanza creates a haunting tone. The adjective “absent” suggests the men’s voices were lost in battle – they were silenced by their generals and then the machine guns.

Question 8

Structure

Answer 8

The poem’s structure is in regular three-line stanzas almost reflecting the neat linear pattern of a ploughed field. However, at times the length of the lines change, with longer lines breaking up the neat form. This disrupted pattern could reflect the ‘chits of bone’ rising out of the ground and disrupting our attempts to remember the past.