Bayonet Charge- Ted Hughes

Context: Ted Hughes

• famous war poet

• not alive for ww1, child for ww2

• grew up in post war era

• rural upbringing in Yorkshire

• father fought in ww1 as 1/17 in Gallipoli campaign (trauma)

• wanted to highlight brutality of trench warfare/tribute/memorialise war

• inspired by Wilfred Owen

5 quotes

• Suddenly he awoke and was running - raw In raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy

• Bullets smacking the belly out of the air

• In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations Was he the hand pointing that second?

• Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame And crawled in a threshing circle, its mouth wide

• King, honour, human dignity, etcetera Dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm

Suddenly he awoke and was running - raw In raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy

• In media res. Dramatic. Authors pov that war is an unnatural awakening (our life is like a dream)

• Raw repetition and enjambement how physically and emotionally painful war is

• Contrasts dream by ‘suddenly’ and ‘running’ speed. The poem uses enjambement to give it breathlessness when reading, like the soldier is running to/ from death.

• Everything turns against him- uniform hot, sweat heavy meaning weight, seams (where fleas would hide) rubbing. War backwards is raw. War is the cause.

• Bullets smacking the belly out of the air

• Plosive of bullets and belly, smacking- comical image. Personification. Relief and amusement it is not hurting him- ironic.

In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations Was he the hand pointing that second?

• demands and answer. Question comes whilst he is still running, risk. Cold- cruel and unfeeling, clockwork- fate. And the nations- the politics are also to blame. Futile.

• Every ticking of the second causes death. Death is unstoppable.

• Hand pointing- clock towards death. Hand pointing like recruitment soldiers.

Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame And crawled in a threshing circle, its mouth wide

• Again fast movement. Exposed to death like the soldier. Extended metaphor

• Known for being fast or mad. Like the hare and the tortoise. Mad during war.

• Roll and circle- war is never ending. A new 2nd war.

• Threw up- physically going up. Being sick. Double meaning.

• Yellow- cowardice. Happiness. Nature should be free, yet trapped. Afraid to speak up. Yellow, like vomit. Innocent and angelic blonde hair.

King, honour, human dignity, etcetera Dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm

• In war only basic nature is left, nature prevails. The rest is stripped

• Patriotism is nothing, social construct means nothing before death, human dignity is an illusion if war exists. Etc. Is mocking, ridiculous. Not artificial social constructs that are the reasons for war