the manhunt Flashcards
manhunt poet
simon armitage
manhunt context
written from perspective of laura - eddie’s wife on her journey of rekindling her relationship
eddie beddoes = PTSD + physical injured
manhunt structure
rhyming couplets = requirement of two partners to complete a relationship, regardless of the physical + mental separation, they are emotionally united
rhyme scheme breaks down - broken physical + mental relationship
“first phase”
emotionless language - warlike tone illustrating how war has engulfed their lives so much that it has even began to impact vocabulary
“intimate days” “passionate nights”
juxtaposes previous line, reference of time is symbolic of the lengthy amounts of time it takes to rebuild the eroded relationship caused by the repercussions of war
“trace” “explore”
illustrates a semantic field of searching reflective of the attempt to search for her husband and begin a greater depth of understanding of the repercussions he is facing to embark on a pathway of recovery
“blown hinge of his lower jaw”
physical injury Eddie suffered - follows the journey of the bullet.
perhaps metaphorically reflective of his inability to express his emotions due to the trauma he faces as a result of war
“parachute silk of his punctured lung”
oxymoronic - a parachute will not work if punctured, perhaps suggestive of Eddie feeling a lack of security but also expressive of his fragility that war has caused him to develop
“grazed heart”
adjective grazed - although it is damaged, it provides hope for full recovery emulating the progress in their relationship
heart is located in the centre of the poem reflective of how love for one another is the centre of all
“unexploded mine”
reflective of how the mental impact is perhaps worse than the physical - he has to be treated with fragility due to the fear of anything triggering his trauma/ PTSD
“foetus of metal”
the bullet is life changing synonymous with how a baby is. The bullet is trapped within him reflective of how he feels trapped in his life, constantly reliving traumatic experiences
“only then, did i come close”
life has been changed permanently, acknowledgement of even though physical scars are healing, the psychological scars are far from being healed. This is a lengthy process in which requires immense patience
