Understanding 'The Manhunt'
I can understand the story of the poem ‘The Manhunt’ and why it was written.
Understanding 'The Manhunt'
I can understand the story of the poem ‘The Manhunt’ and why it was written.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- 'The Manhunt' is from a collection of poems, *The Not Dead*, which explores the effect of recent conflict on soldiers.
- The speaker in the poem is a wife looking to reconnect with her husband who has returned from war.
- The wife tenderly explores her husband’s physical injuries, discovering his considerable mental scarring in the process.
- The poem is based on the relationship between a soldier and his wife that Armitage interviewed as part of a documentary.
- The poem explores the harrowing physical and psychological effects of war on both soldiers and their loved ones.
Common misconception
Students often fail to appreciate the significance of the speaker being the soldier's wife.
The perspective the poem is written from is deeply significant. Perhaps Armitage chose to write the poem from the perspective of the wife because the soldier is too traumatised to speak of his own experiences.
Keywords
Harrowing - very distressing and/or traumatising
To caress - to touch or stroke gently and lovingly
Adversity - challenging circumstances or hardship
To comprehend - to be able to fully understand or appreciate something
PTSD - a mental illness resulting from trauma, in which the patient might experience flashbacks, depression, anxiety or hallucinations
Equipment
A copy of the Eduqas poetry anthology will be required.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
- Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
- Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
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