Exploring the poem 'Bayonet Charge' by Ted Hughes

Last updated: 15/11/2023
Contributor: Teachit Author
Exploring the poem: 'Bayonet Charge'
Main Subject
Key stage
Exam board
Category
Poetry: Anthology poetry
Inside
Includes answers
Resource type
Student activity
Worksheet
Author
Ted Hughes
Title
Bayonet Charge

This supportive resource helps students dig into the detail of the poem ‘Bayonet Charge’ by Ted Hughes. There is a series of analytical questions that move through the poem, stanza by stanza, allowing students to develop a deeper understanding of the poem.

Designed for students who are studying for the Conflict poetry section of the AQA English Literature GCSE specification, this series of evaluative questions enables students to perform a detailed poem analysis.

There is also a comprehensive answer sheet available with this resource. 

Students are guided to investigate the stark reality of war and how going over the top affected First World War soldiers through a consideration of literary techniques, such as simile, caesura and alliteration.

Ted Hughes, a former Poet Laureate, was born in Yorkshire and was a child during World War Two. Students are invited, through the targeted questioning in this resource, to delve into the poet’s motivations in presenting the damaging effects of the First World War on soldiers.

The resource helpfully enables students to explore the contrast between war and the natural world, with the images of the ‘green hedge’ and ‘yellow hare’ presented in juxtaposition to the ‘rifle fire’, ‘raw-seamed hot khaki’ and ‘blue crackling air’.

Browse additional resources on poets such as Simon Armitage and Wilfred Owen in the GCSE English Literature poetry section.

 

A sample extract from the resource:

Questions on stanza one

  1. Why does Hughes begin with the adverb ‘suddenly’?
  2. What has the soldier awoken to?
  3. What does the repetition of ‘raw’ imply? ‘Raw-seamed’ refers to the new and uncomfortable uniform: how is the role of a soldier also new and uncomfortable?

All reviews

Have you used this resource?

some of the questions were helpful - should just point out that Ted Hughes father was a 'veteran' of world war one, not two.

Claire Cormack

11/06/2020

Hi Uzair, sorry to hear that you didn't spot the answers. There is a full and comprehensive set of answers with this resource on pages 2 and 3.

Helen Stacey, Teachit English Editor

22/11/2019

it would be better if you are given the answer sheet

uzair riaz

21/11/2019

Not taught the poem before, so teaching myself first! Thank you for the valuable insights.

Rosalind Tucker

02/12/2018

some of the questions were helpful - should just point out that Ted Hughes father was a 'veteran' of world war one, not two.

Claire Cormack

11/06/2020

Hi Uzair, sorry to hear that you didn't spot the answers. There is a full and comprehensive set of answers with this resource on pages 2 and 3.

Helen Stacey, Teachit English Editor

22/11/2019

it would be better if you are given the answer sheet

uzair riaz

21/11/2019

Not taught the poem before, so teaching myself first! Thank you for the valuable insights.

Rosalind Tucker

02/12/2018

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