poetry - bayonet charge Flashcards
“He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm” - what is the meaning of the quote (technique and meaning)
Simile. The image suggests the rifle is useless and therefore emphasises how vulnerable he is. It could also foreshadow the injuries he might gain because of war.
“Suddenly he awoke and was running” - what is the meaning of this quote (technique and meaning)
The poem begins in media res (in the middle of the action) - this creates a sense of urgency and highlights the chaos of war.
“The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye…” - what is the meaning of the quote (technique and meaning)
“The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye / Sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest”
Simile.
The soldier’s patriotic ideals are useless now he is faced with the reality of conflict. The contrast between “brimmed”, with its positive connotations of abundance and pride, and “sweating” highlights this contrast. Comparing the tears to iron dehumanises the soldier and likens him to something mechanical.
“In what cold clockwork of the stars…” - what is the meaning of the quote (technique and meaning)
Harsh alliteration. Potentially a reference to fate governing the soldier and his powerlessness.
“The shot-slashed furrows…” - what is the meaning of the quote (technique and meaning)
“the shot-slashed furrows / Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame…its mouth wide / Open silent, its eyes standing out”. Gruesome image. Highlights the brutality of war.
“King, honour, human dignity, etcetera…”
“King, honour, human dignity, etcetera / Dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm / To get out of that blue crackling air”
Listing.
Things that seemed important to the soldier before the war now seem futile when faced with death. The pointlessness of these things is reinforced through the choice of the word “etcetera”
“Bullets smacking the belly out of the air” - what is the meaning of this quote (technique and meaning)
Violent imagery. Highlights the danger of the battlefield
“Stumbling across a field of clods towards a green hedge…” - what it the meaning of the quote (technique and meaning)
“Stumbling across a field of clods towards a green hedge / That dazzled with rifle fire”. The verb “stumbling” indicates his lack of control as he is caught up in the chaos of war.
