revision Flashcards
who wrote the manhunt?
Simon Armitage- a man writing for common men- born in 1964 in West Yorkshire
Eddie Eddows- served in Bosnia
when was the manhunt written?
in 2007, for a channel 4 documentary ‘forgotten heroes- the not dead’
what are the key themes?
marriage mental illness/PTSD war love/relationships understanding trying to connect throughout the poem
context:
The poem was written for a Channel 4 documentary called ‘Forgotten Heroes: The Not Dead’
In the programme, the poem is read by Laura, wife of Eddie Eddoes, a soldier who served in Bosnia and who was discharged due to injury and depression.
Armitage’s poetry demonstrates a strong concern for social issues, as well as drawing on his Yorkshire roots.
influenced by the work of Ted Hughes, W.H. Auden, and Philip Larkin
structure:
poem made up of couplets
some rhyme, some half-rhyme and some not rhymed, creates a sense of fragmentation
- a fragmented structure - reflects disconnect between husband and wife
Key quotes: 1) - ‘only then would he let me trace the frozen river which ran through his face’
1) enjambment- it flows
- like she is tracing his scar with her fingertips
key quotes 2)- -‘and feel the hurt of his grazed heart’
2) visceral imagery- brutal
emphasises his struggles to reader
trying to understand him and connect with him
key quotes 3)- ‘and climb the rungs of his broken ribs’
3) metaphor- like his ribs are a ladder
like shes inside of him - trying to connect?
The soldier’s body is described in striking ways. His body is compared to things which are non-organic and inanimate. His bones are described as a ‘hinge’, ‘porcelain’, a ‘rudder’ and ‘rungs’. This makes his body seem unfamiliar and less alive.
key quotes 4)-‘the foetus of metal beneath his chest’
4) young=foetus
the bullet is just the start to his problems
his problems will continue to grow
key quotes 5)-‘traced the scarring back to its source’
5) the source = his mind
PTSD/ Psychological damage
key quotes 6)-‘ to a sweating, unexploded mine buried deep in his mind’
PTSD - mental issues
a metaphor- panic? on edge? worried? traumatised?
‘deep’= hidden away?
The poem is not about judging the rights and wrongs of war, but the impact of war on one particular relationship.
who wrote the soldier?
Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)-died during war
a georgian poet
writing to appeal to the masses
poem is a sonnett
when was it written?
Nov and Dec 1914- when people were largely optomistic and patriotic
Context:
It was read out on Easter Sunday in 1915 at St Paul’s Cathedral. This was a significant act
It was originally entitled ‘The Recruit’
On board ship he developed septicaemia from a mosquito bite. He died on 23 April 1915
structure:
written in 2 stanzas
1 octet
1 sestet
‘‘The traditional, conservative form could be said to reflect the poet’s traditional and conservative views, hence the poem’s appeal to the establishment. Additionally, the poise and grandeur of the classical form creates a celebratory, reverential tone.’’
