Bayonet charge

• Who is the poet of ‘Bayonet Charge’?

  Ted Hughes
• What is the significance of Ted Hughes' birth year in relation to ‘Bayonet Charge’?

  He was born in 1930, after WWI ended
• When did Ted Hughes die?

  1998
• Where did Ted Hughes grow up?

  In the countryside of Yorkshire
• What was Ted Hughes passionate about throughout his life?

  Animals and nature
• What type of literature did Ted Hughes write?

  Poetry, plays, and children's books
• What notable work did Ted Hughes write that was adapted into a film?

  The Iron Man
• What was the profession of Ted Hughes' father?

  He served in World War I
• How did Ted Hughes' father's experiences affect him?

  Hughes felt the war's effects through his father
• What was one of Ted Hughes' obsessions?

  Astrology
• When was Ted Hughes appointed Poet Laureate?

  1984
• What is the context of ‘Bayonet Charge’ in relation to other war poetry?

  It compares to other World War I poetry
• Why is Hughes' lack of personal experience in WWI significant?

  It influences his perspective on the war
• What motivated Hughes to write about World War I?

  His father's service and regional impact
• How did Hughes view the impact of WWI on West Yorkshire?

  He felt the region was in mourning
• What did Hughes admire about Wilfred Owen's poetry?

  Its contemporary representation of war
• What collection includes ‘Bayonet Charge’?

  The Hawk in the Rain
• Who typed up Hughes' poems for a competition?

  Sylvia Plath
• What is a key theme of ‘Bayonet Charge’?

  The indescribable horror of war
• How does the poem's structure contribute to its theme?

  It reflects chaos and disorder of war
• What literary device begins the poem and creates confusion?

  Enjambment
• What effect does enjambment have on the reader?

  Creates a disjointed, unordered effect
• What is caesura in poetry?

  Sentences ending in the middle of a line
• How does caesura affect the reader's experience?

  Forces the reader to pause and reflect
• What does the repetition of the word ‘raw’ signify?

  Reflects the soldier's shock and stuttering
• How does Hughes' repetition differ from a refrain?

  It shows difficulty in expressing moments
• What is the relationship between Hughes and Wilfred Owen's poetry?

  Hughes alludes to Owen's work in his poem
• What similarities exist between ‘Bayonet Charge’ and Owen's ‘Spring Offensive’?

  Both use repeated words and themes of war
• What does the phrase ‘raw in raw-seamed hot khaki’ suggest?


  Clumsiness in expression during stress
• How does Hughes' early writing reflect his influences?

  He mirrored styles of poets he admired
• What was Hughes' reaction to winning the poetry competition?

  He felt embarrassed about his early work
• What is the overall theme of ‘Bayonet Charge’?

  The horror of war is indescribable
• What are some similar words related to temperature found in 'Bayonet Charge'?

  'Molten', 'cold', and 'flame'
• What phrase from 'Spring Offensive' is mentioned in the analysis?

  'And crawling'
• What phrase from 'Bayonet Charge' is referenced in the analysis?

  'And crawled'
• What does the phrase 'plunged and fell away past' signify in 'Spring Offensive'?

  It indicates a sense of loss and despair
• How does Ted Hughes feel about his early writing according to his letters?

  He felt embarrassed about it
• What influence did other poets have on Ted Hughes' writing?

  He mirrored their style in his poetry
• What theme does the poem 'Bayonet Charge' explore?

  The inexplicable horror of war
• What does Tim Kendall suggest about Hughes' poem in relation to Owen's work?

  It reflects a secondhand experience of war