Bayonet Charge

"Bayonet Charge" by Ted Hughes

Context

• Ted Hughes was an English poet known for his powerful and often unsettling imagery. "Bayonet Charge" focuses on the intense physical and emotional experience of a soldier during a charge in battle. The poem explores themes of fear, confusion, and the futility of war, capturing the chaos and terror of combat.

The Poem

Suddenly he awoke and was running – raw

In raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy,

Stumbling across a field of clods towards a green hedge

That dazzled with rifle fire, hearing

Bullets smacking the belly out of the air –

He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm;

← Simile

The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye

← Metaphor

Sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest, –

In bewilderment then he almost stopped –

In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations

← Rhetorical Question

Was he the hand pointing that second? He was running

Like a man who has jumped up in the dark and runs

Listening between his footfalls for the reason

Of his still running, and his foot hung like

Statuary in mid-stride. Then the shot-slashed furrows

Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame

← Symbolism

And crawled in a threshing circle, its mouth wide

Open silent, its eyes standing out.

He plunged past with his bayonet toward the green hedge,

King, honour, human dignity, etcetera

Dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm

To get out of that blue crackling air

His terror's touchy dynamite.

← Alliteration

5 A* Quotes + Analysis

1. Simile: "He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm"

• Analysis: This simile emphasises the soldier's physical and emotional numbness. The comparison of the rifle to a "smashed arm" highlights the burden of the weapon and the soldier's disconnection from his surroundings, reflecting the dehumanising effect of war.

2. Metaphor: "The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye / Sweating like molten iron"

• Analysis: The metaphor of the "patriotic tear" turning into "molten iron" illustrates the transformation of idealistic emotions into intense physical fear. This shift from pride to terror captures the soldier's disillusionment and the harsh realities of war.

3. Alliteration: "His terror's touchy dynamite"

• Analysis: The alliteration in "terror's touchy dynamite" reinforces the tension and instability of the soldier's emotions. The phrase suggests that his fear is explosive and uncontrollable, ready to detonate at any moment.

4. Symbolism: "Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame"

• Analysis: The yellow hare symbolises the natural world caught in the chaos of war. Its frantic, desperate movement mirrors the soldier's own terror, and the image of it "rolling like a flame" adds a sense of unpredictability and danger.

5. Rhetorical Question: "In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations / Was he the hand pointing that second?"

• Analysis: This rhetorical question reflects the soldier's existential crisis, questioning the impersonal forces that have placed him in this situation. It highlights the futility and randomness of war, reducing the soldier to a mere pawn in a larger, uncaring mechanism.

Form & Structure Points

• Enjambment: The use of enjambment throughout the poem mirrors the soldier's continuous, frantic movement, reflecting the chaos of battle.
• Irregular Rhythm: The poem's irregular rhythm and meter convey the disjointed and chaotic experience of the soldier, emphasising the unpredictability of war.
• In Media Res: The poem begins "in the middle of things", plunging the reader directly into the action, which enhances the sense of confusion and urgency.

Example Paragraph for a Grade 9 Answer:

In "Bayonet Charge," Hughes explores the effects of war through simile and metaphor. The simile "He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm" emphasises the soldier's physical and emotional numbness, reflecting the dehumanising effect of war. The metaphor "The patriotic tear...Sweating like molten iron" illustrates the shift from idealism to terror, capturing the soldier's disillusionment. Alliteration in "His terror's touchy dynamite" reinforces the tension and instability of his emotions. Symbolism in "Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame" mirrors the chaos and unpredictability of the battlefield. Through these devices, Hughes conveys the overwhelming fear and confusion experienced by soldiers in combat...