Writers intent

• Ted Hughes

  • Ted Hughes was a British poet known for his intense and often violent imagery.
  • His poetry frequently explores themes of nature, survival, and human instinct, reflecting his fascination with the primal forces driving human behavior.
  • Hughes served as the British Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death, and his work often reflects a brutal, raw view of life, influenced by his own experiences and interests in mythology and war.
  • His portrayal of war is deeply psychological, focusing on the physical and mental struggle of soldiers rather than glorifying battle.
• Bayonet Charge

  • “Bayonet Charge” was written during a time when there was growing public disillusionment with war, particularly after the World Wars.
  • The poem depicts a soldier’s terrifying experience in battle, highlighting the chaos, fear, and confusion of combat rather than heroic glory.
  • It reflects the modernist shift in war poetry away from patriotic and romanticized views towards realism and the harsh realities of warfare.
  • Hughes challenges traditional war narratives, emphasizing the instinctive, animalistic survival responses triggered in soldiers under extreme stress.