bayonet charge Flashcards
(20 cards)
what other poem could this poem link to
Exposure by Wilfred Owen
what is the context behind this poem
the narrator never fought in war and the poem is written in the third person narrative singular which gives limited narrative perspective
what structure is used in this poem
he uses a chaotic structure with enjambment, caesura and repetition.
why does hughes use a chaotic structure in his poem
hughes employs a chaotic structure to mirror the chaos and panic of war.
what other structure is used
The use of caesura that forces the reader to pause + consider the war
what language techniques are used in this poem
personification of nature and nature as victim
what is the key point of this poem
hughes is questioning the point of war and presents the reality of war
what does the quote ‘suddenly he awoke and Wass running-raw, in raw-seamed hot khaki’ suggest
this line signifies the abruptness of war. The soldier is thrown into a situation of life and death.
what does the adjective ‘raw’ symbolise in this quote
the use of repetition creates a sense of desperation.
what connotations does ‘raw’ have
The connotations of ‘raw’ are animalistic which denotes a lack of humanity in the situation.
what’s the second important quote
‘he lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm’
what language technique is this quote
a simile
what does this quote imply
this implies that the solider seems disconnected from his weapon and uncomfortable holding it, showing his physical unsuitability for his role.
why is the rifle presented as numb
The rifle is presented to be numb and cold showing how unnatural the soldier deems committing acts of violence.
what quote could support the theme of nature
‘yellow hare, its mouth wide open silent’
what connotations does this quote have
the hares suffering is the only explicit sign of violence, and the infliction of pain of an innocent animal highlights the injustice of war
what’s the fourth important quote
king, honour, human dignity, etcetera/ dropped like human luxuries
what language technique has been used in this quote
asyndetic listing
why has Hughes done this
To show how the soldier gains honour from fighting for his king and country.
what does dropped like human luxuries mean?
when faced with death and war, these values are ‘dropped like human luxuries’ so they are abandoned when the reality of war is revealed.
