Bayonet Charge Flashcards
Ted Huges
context:
1. Poet
2. Influence of upbringing
3. military service
4. his father
- Ted Hughes
- Grew up in Yorkshire countryside- influenced his works
- served in RAF for 2 year
- Father served as a soldier in WWI
3&4 show how he has first hand and second han experienced the terror and destructive and false identity of the military
how is form used to create irregular rhythm + what is effect
enjambent and causera + uneven line lgnth creates irreuglar rhythm- mirrors struggle of soldiers
narrator
“he” creates anonymity shows the soldier could be any soldier in WWI- universal struggle
start of poem
starts in media res- makes the reader confused as to what is going on
‘S——- he a—– and was r—— - r–’
Suddenly he awoke and was running - raw
in a confused, vulnerable phase- like a nightmare- media res
raw. On the other handnshows his discomfort as well as inexperience
shows reality of war is harsh
‘r– - s—— hot k—-, his —— heavy’
raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy
h shound- heavy breathing
clothes uncomfortable
war is full of discomfort
sweat = mental anxiety of death alt
‘B——- s—— the b—- out of the a– - He l—– a r—- as —- as a s——- arm’
Bullets smacking the belly out of the air - He lugged a rifle as heavy as a smashed arm
assonance of U sound shows his struggle in battle
similie foreshadows his injuries
violent imagery and onomatopeia shows the brutality of war
showshow his rifle has become part of him-disturbing
‘he a—– s—— - In what c— c——– of the s—- and the n——-‘
he almost stopped - In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations
war is devoid of purpose
alt = fate of soldiers doomed by the people in charge of war who don’t care
emphasise insignificance and lack of control
clockwork metaphor= compares him to another piece out of many in a clockwork- role is pre determined, pre empting the soldiers death.
‘k— , h—–, human d——-, etcetera
Dropped like l——-‘
King, honour, human dignity, etcetera
Dropped like luxuries
persuasive triplet to discourage war
etcetera- ridicules war
simile shows he has been reduced to basic level
‘His t—–’s t—– d——-‘
His terror’s touchy dynamite
driven by terror not by will to win and patriotism- not a human being
alt= dynamite- shows how he is waiting to meet his fate of death
reality of conflict
- confusing
- soldiers are helpless
- uncomfortable
- tragic - anonymous narrator - lots of suffering
effects of conflict
makes you inhumane
makes you feel insignificant
loose moral values