Comparing Remains with Bayonet Charge Key themes in

Comparing Remains with Bayonet Charge

Key themes in Bayonet Charge The poem is clearly set around conflict, this is shown by the whole poem based on a solider rushing out of the trenches on the attack. However the poem also looks at the ideas of humanity, nature and transformation. In the poem the solider is almost more machine or animal than he is human and this is reflected in the description in the poem of him.

Key themes in Remains The poem was originally set in a war zone and naturally looks at the conflict within it. However it also looks, quite heavily, at the after affects and the long term affects it has on the people involved. Power is also shown within the poem by the way the solider has power over life and death but later on, the power over their memories and experiences.

Structure of both poems Bayonet Charge Written in 3 stanzas No set structure Written in blank verse The different lines show the pace of the poem, sometimes fast, sometimes stumbling Towards the end the poem picks up the pace suggesting that he is approaching the destination or doom Remains Written in 8 stanzas Poem is left on a dramatic ending as it is left on a couplet Doesn’t rhyme Conversational tone Colloquialism, enjambment and caesura’s are used a lot Sense of realism Loose set of rhymes which allows a sort of childish effect

Differences in the poems Remains Bayonet Charge Lots of continuous verbs ‘running’ : ‘stumbling’ : ‘sweating’ Physical detail Emphasis on words such as ‘raw’ : ‘sweat’ : ‘hot’ : ‘molten’ Use of listing mechanically ‘king, honour, human dignity, etcetera’ : sarcastic attitude to ‘honour’ Throw away lines ‘dropped’ : ‘forgotten’ : makes it seem meaningless Strong last line ‘His terror’s touchy dynamite’ : alliteration : danger : explosive The title has a double meaning Either body parts or something left over Straight into action ‘on another occasion’ but at the same times sounds casual Lots of colloquial ‘legs it up the road’ Very violent, with lots of violent verbs ‘rips’ : ‘fire’ : ‘tosses’ First person As if someone is telling a story Ends on present tense As it is still happening now : ‘here and now’ The poems ends with a couplet ‘his bloody life in my bloody hands’ : this is an effective ending : stands out : feels guilty

Both poems are: Violent poems War poems Have dehumanising effects Effects of war Images of death Physical poems Action poems

Similarities of both poems They both are straight into action Have violent images They describe the humans as automations – robot like -mechanical Fast paces Lots of enjambment Erratic end pace Dehumanised animalistic images

Learning Ladder for Remains A* - ‘Blood-shadow’ A - ‘Blood-shadow’ B - ‘Blood-shadow’ Caught red handed and can’t wipe the blood off of his hands Haunted by the past as it is a shadow Has blood on his hands Blood shadow is a metaphor as you cant have a shadow of blood