Bayonet charge by Ted Hughes

• What has the figure's sense of awe and wonder turned into?

  The nightmare of fear and pain
• How is the machine of war described in the text?

  As cold and uncaring
• What does the caesura in the poem signify?

  It jolts the soldier back to reality
• What does the yellow haze symbolize in the poem?

  The impact of war on nature
• What is the structure and form of the poem "Bayonet Charge"?

  • Starts in medias res to convey shock and pace
  • Enjambment maintains momentum of the charge
  • Time stands still in the second stanza
  • Contrasts visual and aural imagery with internal thoughts
• What are the main themes of the poem?

  Conflict, power, reality of war, nature, bravery, patriotism
• What tones are present in the poem?

  Bewildered, desperate, dreamy
• When was the poem published and what is its likely setting?

  Published in 1957, likely set in WWI
• What personal experience may have influenced Ted Hughes in writing this poem?

  He survived the battle of Gallipoli in WWI
• How does Hughes contrast idealism and reality in the poem?

  By contrasting patriotism with the reality of war
• What does the poem describe about the experience of "going over the top"?

  It describes the terrifying experience of charging at the enemy
• What transformation does the speaker undergo during the charge?

  From a living thinking person into a dangerous weapon of war
• What struggle does Hughes dramatize in "Bayonet Charge"?

  • The struggle between a man's thoughts and actions
  • The internal conflict of fear versus duty
  • The impact of war on personal identity