Bayonet Charge

Question 1

Title/ theme

Answer 1

• connotations of charge, E.G. aggression and war, imperative
• theme of patriotism, ‘ had brimmed his eye’ and ‘king honour human dignity ectera’
• motif of the green hedge.

Question 2

Beginning

Answer 2

‘Suddenly he awoke and was running’

• ‘awoke’ is metaphorical for mentally awoke, questioning ethics of war.
• in media’s Rez

Question 3

Soapaims

Answer 3

• ‘bullets smacking the belly out of the air’
• ‘sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest’
• ‘stumbling’
• ‘dazzled with rifle fire’

Question 4

Soapaims 2

Answer 4

• ‘he lugged a rifle as numb as a smashed arm’
• ‘shot-slashed’
• ‘rolled like a flame’

Question 5

Structure

Answer 5

• no rhyme scheme
• quick paced
• shift in pace in second stanza.

Question 6

Ending

Answer 6

‘To get out of the blue crackling air, 
 His terrors touchy dynamite’ 
- ‘crackling’ belittles danger 
- focuses more on the solder himself. 
- emotional explode - linked to second stanza ?

Question 7

Context

Answer 7

• poet = Ted Hughs
• in collection ‘hall in the rain’
• his farther died and many other in the war, he was heavily effected.