The Manhunt CONTEXT Flashcards
(33 cards)
name the poet who wrote ‘The Manhunt’
Simon Armitage
what are the feelings/attitudes in the poem
love
patience
pain
how is love expressed in the poem
The soldier’s wife is sensitive in her approach to her wounded husband. She wants to help him and is slowly trying to get to know him again, in order to understand what he’s going through.
how is patience expressed in the poem
it takes the whole poem for the woman to just ‘come close’ to her husband, and it’s unclear how much more progress she will be able to make in the future. This shows how patient both the soldier and his wife will have to be for him to recover fully.
how is pain expressed in the poem
The imagery in the poem suggests that the soldier suffers both physically and mentally. It’s implied that his psychological trauma (PTSD), rather than his physical pain, is the main cause of his suffering.
when was the poem published
2008
Armitage is a c__________ poet and current P___ L______
Armitage is a contemporary poet and current Poet Laureate
Armitage is an E_____ poet, p_______ and n_______
Armitage is an English poet, playwright and novelist
which war is the poem about
Bosnian War
what is the name of the soldier
Eddie Beddoes - British soldier who suffers from PTSD
who’s perspective was the poem written from
Laura Beddoes (Eddie’s wife) - originally, she read out the poem as part of a television documentary
What is ‘The Manhunt’ about?
‘The Manhunt’ explores how war affects ex-soldiers, particularly those involved in recent conflicts.
What is the relationship between the speaker and the soldier in ‘The Manhunt’?
The speaker is the wife of a soldier who is getting to know her husband again after he returns home injured from war.
What are the physical and psychological scars mentioned in the poem?
The soldier has physical scars from injuries sustained in war and psychological scars from his traumatic experiences.
What is the structure of ‘The Manhunt’?
The poem consists of couplet-long stanzas with varying line lengths, initially rhyming but later breaking down.
How does the poem’s structure reflect its themes?
The structure introduces different injuries in different couplets, allowing the reader to explore the soldier’s body and mind gradually.
What type of language is used to describe the soldier’s body?
Adjectives describing damage are paired with metaphors suggesting his body is a collection of broken objects.
What do the caring verbs in the poem signify?
Verbs like ‘trace’ and ‘attend’ show the woman’s gentle care, while ‘bind’ indicates her help in regaining strength.
What feelings are expressed by the soldier’s wife?
The wife expresses love, patience, and sensitivity in her approach to her wounded husband.
What does the poem suggest about the soldier’s suffering?
The imagery implies that the soldier’s psychological trauma is the main cause of his suffering, more than physical pain.
What are some key themes in ‘The Manhunt’?
Key themes include the effects of war, pain and suffering, and love.
How does ‘The Manhunt’ compare to other war poems?
‘The Soldier’ and ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ focus on soldiers dying in battle, while ‘The Manhunt’ addresses the aftermath of war.
What questions can help develop personal responses to the poem?
Consider why the poet called the poem ‘The Manhunt’, the impression of the soldier’s wife, and whether the end of the poem is hopeful.
what is the form of the poem
The poem’s couplet-long stanzas have lines of varying lengths. Initially the couplets rhyme, but later on the rhymes break down, making the poem feel disjointed and reflecting the theme of brokenness.
