The Manhunt by Simon Armitage

Question 1

What does Simon Armitage use the poem as a vehicle to?

Answer 1

• To share the untold stories of Eddie Beddoes
• To help others to understand the physical and psychological effects of war
• To expose the effects of war on relationships

Question 2

Initially point

Answer 2

The poem starts by tracing the path of the bullet, exploring the duplicitous effects of the bullet and it’s path through Eddies body

Question 3

The poem begins… (qoute 1)

Answer 3

• The initial rhythmic couplet – “phase, after passionate nights and intimate days”
• Relays a story of 2 people clinging onto each other
• Preposition “after” suggests that following their pre war joviality they have to undergo a long process to return to the “close” couple they were before the war.

Question 4

The poem begins… (qoute 2)

Answer 4

• “Only then would he let me trace the frozen river which ran through his face”
• “only then” highlights the steps that Laura Beddoes had to undergo
• “frozen” is in reference to his reluctancy to open up about his feelings
• Armitage does this to emphasise the psychological effects of war

Question 5

As the text develops point

Answer 5

Armitage continues to explore the journey of the bullet

Question 6

As the text develops…(qoute 1)

Answer 6

• “The fractured rudder of his shoulder blade”
• a “rudder” is what is used on a ship to steer, this paired with “fractured” suggests that he has lost his sense of direction after the war
• This evokes empathy from the audience and makes them respect those who served in war

Question 7

As the text develops…(qoute 2)

Answer 7

“The fœtus of metal”

• “foetus” connotes new life however, this is in reference to the bullet
• perhaps this suggests that war has created a deep seeded trauma inside him, which separates his pre war life from post war life

Question 8

Ultimately point

Answer 8

The persona in the poem finally comes close to understanding the effects of war on Eddies body and on his psyche

Question 9

Ultimately… (qoute 1)

Answer 9

• “to a sweating unexploded mine/buried deep in his mind”
• “sweating” connotes the stress of the mind/ trauma going off
• “deep”- shows just how locked up his emotions are, and emphasises the distance Laura will have to go

Question 10

Ultimately…(qoute 2)

Answer 10

“Then and only then, did I come close”

• short sentence suggests that she has only come to a partial conclusion about her husbands trauma and feelings
• the ‘off-rhyme’ of “close” and “closed” from the previous line shows that she does not fully understand her husband but she has come “close”
• Perhaps Armitage does this to emphasises the permanent effects of war