1. To use MITSL to develop a response to the poem
Bayonet Charge
Objectives:
To explore the poem Bayonet Charge focusing on how Hughes has used poetic devices to portray the theme of power and conflict
To use MITSL to develop a response to the poem

2. The 5 minute Poem Alarm Bayonet Suddenly Raw Dazzled Smacking Numb
Using as many of these words as you can, write your own Poem
Alarm
Bayonet
Suddenly
Raw
Dazzled
Smacking
Numb
Running
Molten
Smashed
Patriotic tear
Threshing
Yellow

3. 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.
Write down ONE thing you understand and ONE thing which puzzles you.

4. 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.
Watch the video clip – can you answer your question now?
Watch the video titled ‘Ted Hughes- Bayonet Charge’. This has been made using Band of Brothers so you’ll need to explain that this is the worng war for this poem(!) but is still quite helpful for some visualisation.

5. Line length Stanza structure 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.
Watch the video titled ‘Ted Hughes- Bayonet Charge’. This has been made using Band of Brothers so you’ll need to explain that this is the worng war for this poem(!) but is still quite helpful for some visualisation.
Line length
Stanza structure

6. What is happening in this verse?
What do you notice about the structure of the start of the poem?
Why does Hughes use third person pronouns throughout?
What are the connotations of the adjectives ‘raw’, ‘hot’ and ‘heavy’
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, -
Explain ‘in media res’ to class
Look at the verbs (present and past) in orange. What do they add to the action/tone of the poem?
What do you think about his choice in similes?
What is happening in this verse?

7. What is happening in this verse?
Why is he bewildered? Why does the verse begin this way?
What's the significance of the adverb ‘almost’?
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
This poem uses lots of similes – what do you notice in this verse?
What is happening in this verse?

8. What is happening in this verse?
What sort of imagery is Hughes using?
Is this real?
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.
Similes again! What do you notice?
What is happening in this verse?

10. Get students to work on MITSL on their own today.

11. Compare the ways poets present ideas about power in ‘Bayonet Charge ’ and in one other poem from the collection
Bayonet Charge
Meaning (title)
Imagery
Tone
Structure
Language

12. Compare the ways poets present ideas about conflict in ‘Bayonet Charge’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and Conflict’

13. 30 min response
Using your information from your table or venn diagram write a response to the question: Compare the ways poets present ideas about power in ‘Bayonet Charge ’ and in one other poem from the collection

14. Success criteria Is there:
An introduction which includes both poems outlining their meaning and their titles?
A section on imagery which compares both poems in relation to power using quotes?
A section on tone which compares both poems in relation to power using quotes?
A section on structure which compares both poems in relation to power using quotes?
A section on language which compares both poems in relation to power using quotes?