Remains & Bayonet Charge
Paragraph one
Topic sentence- in bayonet charge, Hughes criticises war, and shows the futility of it.
“The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye Sweating like molten iron from the centre of his
chest”
- Metaphor of patriotic tears shows he came to war out of a sense of duty to protect his
country. Now this patriotism is leaving him as he sees what war is really like.
- Simile of it sweating ‘like molten iron’ has painful connotations, showing how the soldier is
physically pained by the realisation that his ideals have been disproven.
- Hes realised the propaganda was false, the ideals of war that society had made where a lie
Context- hughes was against the pointlessness wars and through this poem, criticising the people in
charge
Topic sentence- similarly, in remains internal criticism of the soldier is shown due to the relentless
action of the soldier
“Probably armed, possibly not.”
- There was chance that the person he killed was innocent
- “Probably” comes first because this is what he wants to believe as it provides justification.
- There is clear anaphora of this phrase later in the poem, to show how he is focused on the
possibility of the killing being unjustified, and how he feels guilty about it and regrets killing
the looter.
- The adverbs of certainty ("probably" and "possibly") are set in proximity to one another by
Armitage to create the sense of doubt held by the speaker, who cannot be certain that the
murderous force used was necessary.
- Shows his guilty conscience
Paragraph two
Topic sentence- in bayonet charge, soldiers are presented to be tools of the government.
In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations Was he the hand pointing that second?
- Alliterative consonants reinforce the cold, calculated and mechanical nature of the war
- ‘Clockwork’ connotes machines, implying the soldiers are being used as physical tools
- Soldiers are treated as pawns in a game rather than individuals
- Rhetorical question showing regret
Topic sentence- whereas, in remains the carelessness for the soldiers is shown.
tosses his guts back into his body. Then he’s carted off in the back of a lorry.
- "tosses" connotes a lack of care or respect
- Not respecting the body, being treated like an object. Also suggest it is an action they are
used to – don’t think anything of it – natural reaction.
- Body has no value – conflict causes the devaluation of human life – loss of sanctity.
- Also rhyme between “body” and “lorry”, which works to add fluidity – suggesting this is
routine and they are used to it. Because they have been exposed to so much death and
violence they are now desensitised to it. Lost their respect for life
- Said so casually showing this happens all the time in war situations
Paragraph 3
Paragraph one
Topic sentence- in bayonet charge, Hughes criticises war, and shows the futility of it.
“The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye Sweating like molten iron from the centre of his
chest”
- Metaphor of patriotic tears shows he came to war out of a sense of duty to protect his
country. Now this patriotism is leaving him as he sees what war is really like.
- Simile of it sweating ‘like molten iron’ has painful connotations, showing how the soldier is
physically pained by the realisation that his ideals have been disproven.
- Hes realised the propaganda was false, the ideals of war that society had made where a lie
Context- hughes was against the pointlessness wars and through this poem, criticising the people in
charge
Topic sentence- similarly, in remains internal criticism of the soldier is shown due to the relentless
action of the soldier
“Probably armed, possibly not.”
- There was chance that the person he killed was innocent
- “Probably” comes first because this is what he wants to believe as it provides justification.
- There is clear anaphora of this phrase later in the poem, to show how he is focused on the
possibility of the killing being unjustified, and how he feels guilty about it and regrets killing
the looter.
- The adverbs of certainty ("probably" and "possibly") are set in proximity to one another by
Armitage to create the sense of doubt held by the speaker, who cannot be certain that the
murderous force used was necessary.
- Shows his guilty conscience
Paragraph two
Topic sentence- in bayonet charge, soldiers are presented to be tools of the government.
In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations Was he the hand pointing that second?
- Alliterative consonants reinforce the cold, calculated and mechanical nature of the war
- ‘Clockwork’ connotes machines, implying the soldiers are being used as physical tools
- Soldiers are treated as pawns in a game rather than individuals
- Rhetorical question showing regret
Topic sentence- whereas, in remains the carelessness for the soldiers is shown.
tosses his guts back into his body. Then he’s carted off in the back of a lorry.
- "tosses" connotes a lack of care or respect
- Not respecting the body, being treated like an object. Also suggest it is an action they are
used to – don’t think anything of it – natural reaction.
- Body has no value – conflict causes the devaluation of human life – loss of sanctity.
- Also rhyme between “body” and “lorry”, which works to add fluidity – suggesting this is
routine and they are used to it. Because they have been exposed to so much death and
violence they are now desensitised to it. Lost their respect for life
- Said so casually showing this happens all the time in war situations
Paragraph 3
