Manhunt Flashcards
Who wrote the poem?
Simon armitage
What kind of poet was Armitage?
A contemporary English poet (free verse poet)
What is the poem’s context?
-About the affects of war, the Bosnian War
-violence of the war
PTSD
-about Eddie (British soldier) and his wife Laura
-poem is from Laura’s perspective
What is the poem about and its meaning
About a wife, Laura, trying to help her husband, Eddie, deal with PTSD he suffered from during the Bosnian War. He was weak both physically and mentally and their relationship suffers as a result.
How does Armitage set the tone?
‘Bind[s] the struts’ of Eddie’s body back together as he suffers from the PTSD and physical damage setting a loving and caring tone
Half-rhyme ‘closed’ and ‘close’ ends the poem on a hopeful tone suggesting the Eddie is on the road to recovery
Why might have Armitage written this poem?
-to help people recognise the sacrifices many soldiers made to protect.
-wanted to highlight the devastating impact war can have on soldiers
-to celebrate the love shared between Laura and Eddie and how it helps heal them
What are the two main themes?
Love and war
Best poems to compare with:
Mametz Wood/ A Wife in London
‘The frozen………..his face’ and analyse
‘The frozen river which ran through his face’
-Metaphor captures the physical and emotional scars left by war.
-‘Frozen river’ stuggests a scar running down the soldiers face symbolising not only his injuries but his emotional detachment.
-The coldness of ‘frozen’ hints the trauma has numbed his ability to connect but the speaker, Laura his wife, shows his tender attention and reflects her love and desire to heal his wounds.
‘The damaged, porcelain….’
‘The damaged, porcelain collar-bone’
-The juxtaposition of damaged and porcelain conveys both fragility and brokenness and how -Laura must be careful and sensitive.
The word ‘porcelain’ suggests something delicate and precious, highlighting the speaker’s care and respect for her partner.
-Reflects the toll the Bosnian war has taken on his body portraying him as vulnerable and in need of protection which deepens the theme of love as restorative and nurturing.
Armitage does this to bring attention to the impacts of war and sacrifices made by many soldiers
‘The parachute….lung’ and analyse
‘The parachute silk of his punctured lung’
The ‘parachute silk’ metaphor combines softness and survival. Parachutes are associated with life saving equipment, yet here it is ‘punctured’ symbolising the solider’s deteriorated state and the fragility of his mental and physical health after battle as he is still battling his PTSD. The tenderness with which the speaker addresses his injury reflects her love and determination to mend him.
‘Then and……..close.’ And analyse
‘Then and only then, did I come close.’
-Repetition of ‘then, and only then’ emphasises the slow and delicate process of emotional healing.
-Reflects the speaker’s persistence and love highlighting how war has created barriers between them and their relationship.
-The phrase suggests that even after exploring his physical and emotional scar, they cannot fully reconnect showcasing the impact war has on intimacy and relationships.
