Page 1: Societal Expectations and Nature in War Poetry
This page examines how Beatrice Garland's 'Kamikaze' and Ted Hughes' 'Bayonet Charge' present the brutality of war through societal expectations and nature imagery. In 'Kamikaze', the brutality extends beyond the battlefield to the harsh expectations placed on Japanese pilots. The poem suggests that it's not always the soldiers who change, but sometimes the family and society around them.
Quote: "this was no longer the father we loved"
This quote emphasizes the distance created between the pilot and his family due to societal expectations. The poem shows how the pilot's decision to abort his mission led to him being shunned and ignored, causing mental suffering.
In 'Bayonet Charge', societal expectations are initially shown to motivate the soldier, but these ideals quickly become meaningless in the face of battle.
Quote: "king, honour, human dignity"
These concepts are what initially drive the soldier, but they are soon "dropped like luxuries" as the reality of war sets in.
The presentation of nature differs in the two poems. In 'Kamikaze', nature is portrayed as powerful and influential, prompting memories that cause the pilot to abort his mission.
Highlight: The "dark shoals of fishes" symbolize the two paths available to the pilot - instant death or a life of shame.
Conversely, in 'Bayonet Charge', nature is depicted as vulnerable and damaged by the violence of war.
Example: The image of a "yellow hare" that is "rolled like a flame" represents the destruction of nature by war.
This page provides a Comparison of kamikaze and bayonet charge gcse summary by analyzing the themes of societal expectations and nature in both poems, offering a deep insight into how these elements contribute to the portrayal of war's brutality.
