15.1.3
Themes: Guilt
Guilt: Language
Guilt: Language
The soldier is overwhelmed with feelings of guilt in Remains. We can analyse the poem's title and how Armitage uses uncertain language to explore the theme of guilt.
Title
Title
- “Remains” has negative connotations of death, something unwanted or leftover.
- It could indicate that all that is left of the speaker’s life is guilt.
- It could also indicate that he is just a shell of his former self.
Uncertain language
Uncertain language
- “Probably armed, possibly not”.
- This reminds readers of the doubt that soldiers must deal with.
- It links to the theme of guilt. There is an indication that the man who was killed should perhaps have not been shot.
Guilt: Imagery
Guilt: Imagery
The soldier is overwhelmed with feelings of guilt – the poet raises questions about the way men are conditioned in war. They are conditioned to put aside their personal emotions when they commit acts of violence or destruction. Armitage uses these images to convey the soldier's sense of guilt:
“His bloody life in my bloody hands”
“His bloody life in my bloody hands”
- This is bloody imagery.
- The repetition of "bloody" reinforces the sense of his frustration.
- The image of having blood on his hands symbolises the guilt he is unable to rid himself of.
- “Bloody” could also be interpreted as a swear word and mark his anger or regret.
"...Some distant sun-stunned sand-smothered land”
"...Some distant sun-stunned sand-smothered land”
- “not left for dead in some distant sun-stunned sand- / smothered land”.
- The sibilance and alliteration of the hard “t” sounds make it seem like he is spitting out the words. This conveys his anger and frustration.
1Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)
2London - William Blake (1757-1827)
3Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)
3.1Storm on the Island Analysis
4Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)
5War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)
5.1War Photographer Analysis
6My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)
7The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)
7.1Extract from The Prelude Analysis
8Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson
9Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)
10Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)
11Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)
12The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)
13Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)
14Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)
14.1Checking Out Me History Analysis
15Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)
16Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
16.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
Jump to other topics
1Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)
2London - William Blake (1757-1827)
3Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)
3.1Storm on the Island Analysis
4Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)
5War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)
5.1War Photographer Analysis
6My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)
7The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)
7.1Extract from The Prelude Analysis
8Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson
9Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)
10Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)
11Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)
12The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)
13Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)
14Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)
14.1Checking Out Me History Analysis
15Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)
16Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
16.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
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