Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes

Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes explores the fear, chaos and confusion of a soldier who is shocked awake and has to run straight into a battle charge.

This study guide is written for students and teachers of English Literature, particularly those studying CCEA’s GCSE English Literature Conflict Anthology and AQA’s Power and Conflict Poetry Anthology. For more study guides from this anthology, check out the list of poems in the series at the bottom of this guide.

Bayonet Charge

Suddenly he awoke and was running – raw
In raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy,
Stumbling across a field of clods towards a green hedge
That dazzled with rifle fire, hearing
Bullets smacking the belly out of the air –
He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm;
The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye
Sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest, –

In bewilderment then he almost stopped –
In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations
Was he the hand pointing that second? He was running
Like a man who has jumped up in the dark and runs
Listening between his footfalls for the reason
Of his still running, and his foot hung like
Statuary in mid-stride. Then the shot-slashed furrows

Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame
And crawled in a threshing circle, its mouth wide
Open silent, its eyes standing out.
He plunged past with his bayonet toward the green hedge,
King, honour, human dignity, etcetera
Dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm
To get out of that blue crackling air
His terror’s touchy dynamite.

What is 'Bayonet Charge' about?

Summary of stanza 1

The poem begins with a soldier abruptly waking up and finding himself running across a field in a distressed state, wearing hot khaki. He is disoriented, stumbling towards a hedge where rifle fire is intense. Bullets are cutting through the air around him as he carries a rifle that feels numb, almost like a broken arm. The patriotic fervour that initially stirred him has turned into confusion.

Summary of stanza 2

In the midst of the chaos, the soldier is bewildered and momentarily halts. He questions his role in the grand scheme of the universe and wonders about the cosmic forces that have led him to this critical moment. He feels disconnected and disorientated from his own actions as he runs; he can hear his feet running but cannot figure out why.

Summary of stanza 3

The churned up field reveals a wounded hare, symbolising the destructive consequences of war. As the soldier charges forward with his bayonet, he abandons lofty ideals such as king, honour, and human dignity. These concepts, once considered luxuries, are discarded in the face of the urgent and perilous situation. The soldier’s terror is compared to dynamite, emphasising the volatility and destructive nature of fear in the midst of battle.

Context of 'Bayonet Charge'

Ted Hughes' early life and education

Ted Hughes, born Edward James Hughes on August 17, 1930, in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire, England, was a highly influential English poet and writer. Raised in a working-class family, Hughes developed a deep connection with nature and the countryside during his early years in Yorkshire.

Hughes attended Mexborough Grammar School and later won a scholarship to Pembroke College, Cambridge. During his time at Cambridge, he studied English, Archaeology and Anthropology, developing an interest in myth and folklore, which would play a significant role in his literary works.

Ted Hughes' personal life and career

In 1956, Hughes married the American poet Sylvia Plath. The couple had a tumultuous relationship, marked by intense creative collaboration but with many personal struggles and conflicts. They had two children, Frieda and Nicholas. Tragically, in 1963, Sylvia Plath took her own life, casting a long shadow over Hughes’ life and work. The aftermath of Plath’s death led to intense public scrutiny and controversy surrounding Hughes.

Hughes gained early recognition for his poetic talent. His debut collection, “The Hawk in the Rain” (1957), received critical acclaim and established him as a promising poet. He followed it with “Lupercal” (1960), which won the Hawthornden Prize.

Despite the challenges in his personal life, Hughes continued to produce an impressive body of work. His poetry often drew from mythology, folklore, and the natural world. Notable collections include “Crow” (1970), “Wodwo” (1967), and “Gaudete” (1977).

Apart from poetry, Hughes wrote plays, prose, and children’s literature. He served as the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1984 until his death.

Hughes’ legacy is complex, shaped by both his literary contributions and the controversies surrounding his personal life, particularly his marriage to Sylvia Plath. Despite the challenges, he remains a prominent figure in 20th-century English literature.

Context of 'Bayonet Charge'

“Bayonet Charge” by Ted Hughes is not directly based on a specific war. Instead, it is a work of poetic imagination that captures universal and timeless experiences of war. The poem doesn’t explicitly reference a particular conflict, allowing its themes and emotions to resonate with the broader human experience of war and conflict.

Ted Hughes himself was not personally involved in any major wars. He was born in 1930 and therefore was too young to experience active military service in World War II. However, the aftermath of the war, the cultural and social shifts, as well as the collective trauma of the period, undoubtedly influenced his generation’s perception of conflict. Hughes’ poetry often explores elemental and primal aspects of human existence, and “Bayonet Charge” can be seen as a reflection on the psychological and existential challenges faced by individuals in the midst of war.

While the poem is not a direct autobiographical account, some have commented on the turbulent personal experiences of Hughes and Plath’s marriage. ‘Bayonet Charge’ was published in 1957, one year into their marriage, and perhaps reflects the confusion, chaos and conflict of their marriage.

Line-by-line analysis of 'Bayonet Charge'

Who is the speaker of 'Bayonet Charge'?

The speaker of ‘Bayonet Charge’ is a third person omniscient narrator, focused solely on one soldier. The narrator is not the soldier, but rather an external viewer, made clear in the use of third person pronouns such as ‘he’ and ‘his’. The narrator is omniscient as he knows what the solider is thinking and feeling, despite not being the soldier himself.

Stanza 1

Suddenly he awoke and was running – raw

The poem opens in medias res (in the middle of the action), plunging the reader into the action along with the soldier.
The abruptness of the soldier’s awakening is mirrored in the enjambment, conveying a sense of urgency, and is also clear in the hyphen which creates caesura unexpectedly, reflecting the sense of danger and unpredictability.
The word “raw” suggests vulnerability and emphasises the immediacy of the situation, heightened by the alliteration of ‘running – raw’.

In raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy,

Repetition of ‘raw’ in lines one and two adds emphasis to this key notion.
The consonance in this line emphasises the harshness of the soldier’s attire, enhancing the sensory experience: In raw-seamed hot khaki, his sweat heavy,
The adjectives ‘hot’ and ‘heavy’ add to the physicality and discomfort of the soldier’s state.

Stumbling across a field of clods towards a green hedge

The imagery of stumbling across a field of clods paints a vivid picture of the soldier’s unsteady and haphazard movement.
The green hedge symbolises youth, naivety and safety, but in the next line, we realise that even nature has been disrupted and endangered by the conflict.

That dazzled with rifle fire, hearing

The use of synesthesia, combining visual and auditory senses, creates a vivid and overwhelming atmosphere by suggesting that the hedge itself is alive with rifle fire.
The onomatopoeia of ‘dazzled’ is exciting and positive, juxtaposed to the reality of the danger the soldier is running towards.

Bullets smacking the belly out of the air –

The bullets are personified here, adding impact.
The alliteration of ‘bullets’ and ‘belly’ adds auditory imagery, increasing the violence of the description.
This metaphorical description of bullets hitting the air creates a visceral image, emphasising the violence felt by the soldier himself as well as the air around him.
Again the line ends with a hyphen, creating a short pause but not an end stop, rather the line runs straight into the next. This highlights the soldier’s stumbling.

He lugged a rifle numb as a smashed arm;

The simile comparing the rifle to a smashed arm conveys the soldier’s detachment from his weapon and the physical toll of warfare.
The verb ‘smashed’ is a violent choice to reflect the heaviness of the rifle. It is not a useful tool, but rather a heavy load for the soldier to lug around with him.

The patriotic tear that had brimmed in his eye

The personification of the tear as ‘patriotic’ suggests a sense of duty or nationalistic fervor that’s now waning.
Placing ‘patriotic’ beside ‘tear’ highlights the conflict in the soldier’s mind and emotions: on one hand, he is defending his country, and clearly made a choice to do this, reflecting his patriotism. But the tear highlights his newfound fear: in the middle of this charge, patriotism seems to be melting away and those strong feelings are lost in the confusion.

Sweating like molten iron from the centre of his chest, –

Another simile is used in this line, to liken the soldier’s sweating to molten iron, portraying the intensity of his emotions and the physical strain of fear and anxiety.
The choice of ‘iron’ here reflects the metal and machinery associated with war. The fact that it is molten perhaps picks up the idea from the line before, that the strength of patriotism is melting away in the cruel light of battle.
The centre of this soldier’s chest is not a pulsing heart. Rather it is iron, suggesting the soldier has been desensitised to the the world around him.

Stanza 2

In bewilderment then he almost stopped –

The caesura and enjambment create a pause, reflecting the soldier’s momentary hesitation and confusion amidst the chaos.

In what cold clockwork of the stars and the nations

This metaphorical imagery contemplates the larger forces at play, questioning the cosmic order and the soldier’s role in a vast, indifferent universe.
The adjective ‘cold’ highlights the immovable, impersonal world in which this soldier is risking his life.

Was he the hand pointing that second? He was running

The first full sentence break happens here in the middle of stanza two. The enjambment and continuous start/stop of the lines has not yet come to a complete stop, despite even the stanza break.
The question mark reflects the soldier’s confusion and questioning. The caesura after the question is appropriate in reflecting the soldier’s hesitation both in his physical progress in the charge, and his hesitation in his mind.
His lack of control over his actions is juxtaposed with his continued running, propelled by an almost instinctual force.

Like a man who has jumped up in the dark and runs

This simile illustrates the disoriented and reactive nature of the soldier’s actions, evoking a sense of fear and urgency.

Listening between his footfalls for the reason

The consonance of ‘footfalls’ and the assonance of ‘between … reason’ create a sense of urgency, as the soldier desperately seeks rationale amidst the chaos, emphasising the confusion and disorientation of war.

Of his still running, and his foot hung like

The enjambment from the previous line, and the abrupt caesura at the comma highlight the soldier’s hesitation mid-action, emphasising his suspended state between movement and stillness.

Statuary in mid-stride. Then the shot-slashed furrows

The vivid imagery of “shot-slashed furrows” emphasises the violent impact of bullets on the landscape, juxtaposed against the soldier’s halted movement.
The simile begun on the previous line compares his foot to a statue, giving a visual image to the soldier’s pause.

Stanza 3

Threw up a yellow hare that rolled like a flame

This simile compares the rolling hare to a flame, evoking a striking image of movement and danger, highlighting the brutal consequences of war on innocent life, and on nature.
Opening the stanza with this active verb ‘threw’ adds to the unexpectedness of the moment.
The hare is the only other living thing in this poem. Everything else is nature or weaponry. The soldier’s isolation is highlighted in this way. This poem is not one of a band of brothers, rather it is one individual struggling to find safety and purpose.

And crawled in a threshing circle, its mouth wide

The imagery of the hare crawling in a circle emphasises its agony and desperation, echoing the chaotic and cyclical nature of violence in war.

Open silent, its eyes standing out.

The anthropomorphism (giving human characteristics to animals) of the hare’s wide-open, silent mouth and its starkly emphasised eyes creates a haunting image of suffering and terror.
Anaphora is used in the repetition of ‘its…’ in this line and the previous line, creating rhythm and structure.

He plunged past with his bayonet toward the green hedge,

The verb ‘plunged’ is vivid. The soldier’s action of plunging forward with his bayonet reinforces the relentless, desperate nature of war as he seeks refuge or safety.
The ‘green hedge’ symbolises some kind of safety, with green often used in literature to symbolise nature, youth, naivety or peace.

King, honour, human dignity, etcetera

The triplet of ‘King, honour, human dignity’ reflects the ‘patriotic tear’ of stanza 1.
The dismissive tone of “etcetera” diminishes the lofty ideals, showing their insignificance in the face of imminent danger and survival.

Dropped like luxuries in a yelling alarm

The simile comparing patriotic ideals to ‘luxuries’ amidst a yelling alarm underlines their abandonment in the urgency of battle.
The adjective ‘yelling’ adds sound to this moment of significance: the soldier has abandoned his ideals in the midst of the loud fear of the charge.

To get out of that blue crackling air

The vivid imagery of ‘blue crackling air’ conveys the electrifying, dangerous atmosphere of the battlefield, adding to the sense of urgency and peril.
In this environment, what matters is not morals, values or ethical principles, but rather personal survival.

His terror’s touchy dynamite.

The metaphor of ‘terror’s touchy dynamite’ vividly describes the explosive, volatile nature of the soldier’s fear, emphasising its destructive potential.

Analysis of form and structure

Verse structure

Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes does not strictly adhere to a consistent verse structure. Stanzas one and three have eight lines, while stanza two has seven.

Instead, it is written in free verse, which means it lacks a predetermined rhyme scheme, regular meter, or a fixed structure. The lines vary in length, and the poem is composed with a mix of enjambment and end-stopped lines. This lack of a formal verse structure contributes to the poem’s overall sense of chaos and mirrors the disorienting experience of the soldier in the midst of battle. The use of free verse allows Hughes to capture the emotional intensity and unpredictability of war without being constrained by traditional poetic conventions.

Rhythm

The rhythm in Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes is irregular and varies throughout the poem. Hughes does not adhere to a strict meter, contributing to the poem’s sense of unpredictability and chaos.

The lines are often enjambed, meaning that sentences or phrases spill over into the next line without a pause, creating a flowing and continuous rhythm. While some lines have a somewhat iambic rhythm, others are trochaic, although with no consistency or strict adherence to a pattern.

The irregular rhythm serves to mirror the disoriented and frantic experience of the soldier in the midst of battle. The lack of a fixed pattern in the poem’s rhythm enhances its emotional impact and captures the intensity of the war experience.

Rhyme

The poem “Bayonet Charge” by Ted Hughes does not follow a consistent rhyme scheme. Instead, it is written in free verse, which means it lacks a regular pattern of end rhymes. The absence of a predetermined rhyme scheme contributes to the poem’s sense of chaos and mirrors the disorderly and disorienting nature of the soldier’s experience on the battlefield.

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Themes in 'Bayonet Charge'

The brutality of war

The poem vividly depicts the brutality and chaos of war. The soldier’s disorientation, the violent imagery of bullets, and the wounded hare all contribute to a portrayal of warfare as a brutal and destructive force.

Existential confusion

The poem delves into the soldier’s existential crisis and confusion. The rhetorical questions about the soldier’s role in the grand scheme of things and the uncertainty expressed in his actions reflect a broader theme of existential bewilderment in the face of war.

Loss of identity and humanity

The soldier’s numbness, the detachment from his rifle, and the abandonment of lofty ideals like “king, honour, human dignity” underscore the dehumanising impact of war. The poem suggests that the immediacy of survival erodes the soldier’s sense of self and ideals.

Nature

Hughes often intertwines nature with violence in his works. The wounded hare and the shot-slashed furrows serve as powerful symbols, linking the natural world with the destructive force of war. This theme underscores the impact of human conflict on the environment and innocent life.

The futility of war

The soldier’s initial sense of duty, represented by the “patriotic tear,” gives way to a realisation of the futility of war. The dropping of ideals as “luxuries” suggests that in the face of immediate danger, abstract concepts like honor and dignity become inconsequential.

Quiz on 'Bayonet Charge'

Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes

Test your knowledge of the poem 'Bayonet Charge' by Ted Hughes

Comprehension Questions

How does Hughes use imagery to convey the chaos and violence of the battlefield in ‘Bayonet Charge’?
Explore the significance of the soldier’s initial sense of duty and patriotism, and how it evolves throughout the poem.
What is the role of nature in the poem, particularly in the portrayal of the wounded hare, the green hedge and the shot-slashed furrows?
How does Hughes convey the psychological and emotional impact of war on the individual, as seen through the experiences of the soldier?
Analyse the significance of the soldier’s momentary hesitation and questioning of his role in the larger cosmic order. What does this add to the poem’s themes?
Discuss the metaphorical meaning behind the dropping of ideals like ‘king, honour, human dignity’ in the poem.
Explore the use of sound devices, such as alliteration and onomatopoeia, in ‘Bayonet Charge’ and their impact on the poem’s tone and atmosphere.
How does the lack of a fixed rhyme scheme and irregular rhythm contribute to the overall effect of the poem?
What are the broader social and cultural implications of ‘Bayonet Charge,’ considering its publication in the mid-20th century? How might it resonate with historical and contemporary perspectives on war?
What other war or conflict poem from your anthology would pair well with ‘Bayonet Charge’ for a compare/contrast essay?

Other poems from the CCEA Conflict Anthology to pair with 'Bayonet Charge'

The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

In both poems, a charge is in progress, launching the reader straight into the middle of the action. Also in both poems, the charge seems to be futile, either in the mind of the individual, as in ‘Bayonet Charge’, in the collective mind of history, as in ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’. In both poems, sound devices such as onomatopoeia, alliteration and repetition are used in conjunction with vivid visual imagery to add graphic, sensory impact, and there are plenty of opportunities to contrast the very different contexts of these poems.

Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen

‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’ is highly critical of the church and state for sending young men to fight for a cause much greater than the individual. Owen’s poem is a third person narration which has made its opinion clear from the start, whereas ‘Bayonet Charge’ shows the immediate panic and brutality of war which causes a soldier to question their reasons for fighting. In both poems, there is a loss of faith in the system which seems indifferent to the individual.