Structure & Key Comparisons
English Lit: AQA GCSE Poetry - Power & Conflict, topic 9.1.4
Form and Structure of Bayonet Charge
The irregular structure and form of Bayonet Charge reflect the unpredictable nature of war:
In medias res
- The poem begins in medias res (in the middle of the action). This creates a sense of urgency and highlights the chaos of war.
Three stanzas
- The poem is split into three stanzas:
- 1: Describes the soldier going over the top, the danger of the moment and the fear he feels.
- 2: Time slows down as the soldier begins to question why he is there.
- 3: The soldier has no time to think. He seems to have lost his humanity and become a machine of war.
Irregular rhythm
- The poet uses different techniques to make sure the poem lacks uniformity. He does this to reflect the unpredictable nature of war. These are:
- Free verse.
- Irregular line length.
- Enjambment (sentences flowing over the line).
- Caesura (breaks in the line).
- The use of enjambment also quickens the pace of the poem.
Key Quotations in Bayonet Charge
Here are key quotations to remember for your exam:
“Suddenly he awoke and was running”
- The poem begins in media res (in the middle of the action) – this creates a sense of urgency and highlights the chaos of war.
“Stumbling across a field of clods towards a green hedge..."
- “Stumbling across a field of clods towards a green hedge / That dazzled with rifle fire”.
- The verb "stumbling" indicates his lack of control as he is caught up in the chaos of war.
“Bullets smacking the belly out of the air"
- Violent imagery.
- Highlights the danger of the battlefield.
“He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm”
- Simile.
- The image suggests the rifle is useless and therefore emphasises how vulnerable he is.
- It could also foreshadow the injuries he might gain because of war.
“The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye..."
- “The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye / Sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest”.
- Simile.
- The soldier’s patriotic ideals are useless now he is faced with the reality of conflict.
- The contrast between “brimmed”, with its positive connotations of abundance and pride, and “sweating” highlights this contrast.
- Comparing the tears to iron dehumanises the soldier and likens him to something mechanical.
“In what cold clockwork of the stars..."
- Harsh alliteration.
- Potentially a reference to fate governing the soldier and his powerlessness.
“The shot-slashed furrows..."
- "the shot-slashed furrows / Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame...its mouth wide / Open silent, its eyes standing out”.
- Gruesome image.
- Highlights the brutality of war.
“King, honour, human dignity, etcetera..."
- “King, honour, human dignity, etcetera / Dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm / To get out of that blue crackling air”.
- Listing.
- Things that seemed important to the soldier before the war now seem futile when faced with death.
- The pointlessness of these things is reinforced through the choice of the word “etcetera”.
Key Comparisons: Bayonet Charge
Here are some themes that come up in Bayonet Charge and other texts:
Reality of conflict
- On the theme of the reality of conflict, you may want to compare Bayonet Charge to:
- War Photographer.
- Charge of the Light Brigade.
- Remains.
- Exposure.
Internal conflict
- On the theme of the internal conflict, you may want to compare Bayonet Charge to:
- Kamikaze.
- Poppies.
Conflict between man and nature
- On the theme of the conflict between man and nature, you may want to compare Bayonet Charge to:
- Storm on the Island.
- The Prelude.
- Exposure.
Test yourself on Structure & Key Comparisons
Stanzas in Bayonet Charge
Bayonet Charge is split into three stanzas. Which of these is not a summary of a stanza?
Which of these themes would you NOT compare Bayonet Charge and Exposure on?