1. Comparing Remains with Bayonet Charge

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Structure of both poems
Bayonet Charge
Remains
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
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

5. Differences in the poems
Bayonet Charge
Remains
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

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

7. 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 and animalistic images

8. Learning Ladder for Remains
A* - ‘Blood-shadow’
A - ‘Blood-shadow’
B - ‘Blood-shadow’
C - ‘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