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The ManhuntSIMON ARMITAGE1COntextThis is a rare instance where understanding the poems context is extremely useful, if not essential, to know before analysis. This is because The Manhunt is based on a true story. 2THE MANHUNT: A TRUE STORYBased upon the real-life experiences of soldier Eddie Beddoes and his wife, Laura Beddoes.Eddie Beddoes suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to the horrors he saw fighting in the Balkans.The hardest part of his experience was returning home and having no support.The poem deals with Laura Beddoes thought processes.

Armitage produced a documentary about soldiers returning home from the war, and being forgotten about. This poem is based on the real-life experiences of Eddie Beddoes, and his wife, Laura Beddoes. Eddie suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to the horrors he saw while fighting in the Balkans. He says that the hardest part of his experience was returning home and having no support. The poem deals with what Armitage believed would be going through Lauras mind when her husband was returned to her, disfigured both inside and out. 3

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President TitoA QUICK GUIDE TO THE BALKAN WARS

Social Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. The countries all had differences in religion, history, language, and even economical development.1980s: Tito died, economic crisis, USSRs Communism started to crumble.

In the aftermath of World War Two, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia became the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, ruled by President Tito. It combined six socialist republics - Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia - to form a neutral country in central Europe that followed neither the western ideal of democracy nor the Eastern Bloc of Stalin's Communism. The six countries of Yugoslavia were all very different. The ethnic groups all had differences in religion, history, language, and even economical development.

When Tito died in the 1980s, leaders of the republics became hostile to each other. With an economic crisis, and communism also crumbling in the East, Yugoslavia collapsed into war in the 1990s.

5WARNING: IMAGES WITH GRAPHIC CONTENTTHE WAR IN BOSNIAWar started in 1991.Bosnia had a mix of Serbs, Muslims and CroatsUN peacekeepers were seen as ineffective Over 100,000 people diedWar in Bosnia continued until 1995, mainly between Bosnias Serbs and Bosnias Muslims and Croats.Eddie Beddoes was shot in the back of the neck and severely wounded.

Bosnia had a complex mix of Serbs, Muslims and Croats, which made the war there extremely messy. UN peacekeepers were sent in to keep the warring factions apart, but they were seen as ineffective. International peace efforts to stop the war failed, and the UN was humiliated. Over 100,000 people died as the war continued until 1995. This is where Eddie Beddoes fought, as a soldier attached to the UN peace-keeping force, until he was shot in the back of the neck and severely wounded. He was discharged from the Army as a result of his injuries, describing himself as 'depressed, disfigured, disabled, useless'.

6Analysis7CLOSE ANALYSIS LINES 1-4THE MANHUNT

After the first phase,after passionate nights and intimate days,

only then would he let me trace the frozen river which ran through his face,

only then would he let me explorethe blown hinge of his lower jaw,

and handle and holdthe damaged, porcelain collar-bone

and mind and attendthe fractured rudder of shoulder-blade,

Laura is searching for the old persona of her husband.The unity of perfect rhymes in the couplet reflects the physical union of Eddie and Laura.However, passionate nights and intimate days are not as important as the need to look after Eddie.'Only then' seems to suggest that this 'hunt' was carried out in small steps.Trace connotes lightness, tenderness, caring.Frozen river scarring or tear tracks.

manhuntmanhnt/nounan organized search for a criminal, suspect, or escaped prisoner.In a sense, the title of this poem is ambiguous. A manhunt is an organised search for a criminal, suspect, or escaped prisoner. Armitage titled the poem The Manhunt to show that Laura Beddoes is searching for the old persona of her husband within the broken man he has become. When Eddie returns, the couple share passionate nights and intimate days. The perfect rhymes of the couplet evokes the sense of intimacy created in the opening lines the unity of the couplets reflect the physical union of Eddie and Laura. Interestingly, these physical activities that are usually considered the most intimate acts between two people are secondary when compared to the need to look after Eddie. It takes time before he will let his wife touch the parts of his body that have been disfigured by the bullet. The use of the term only then suggests that this manhunt is carried out in small steps, and she can only lightly trace his face rather than touch it fully. The 'frozen river' may be interpreted as scarring from his time in the war, or perhaps even tear tracks to explain the emotional trauma he is going through. His face may be insensitive to feeling, which is why that is the first place he allows his wife to trace, so he cannot feel her touch the disfigured parts of his body.8Anaphora of only then to show the passing of time.A hinge also connotes a door (also suggested because it rhymes with jaw)Blown hinge suggests Laura cannot open the door into Eddies mind without fixing him first. Alliteration of handle and hold draws attention to this phraseAllusion to the marriage service:

Substituted the word handle in place of the word have, to show that Laura is trying to understand her husband and handle his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Porcelain accentuates the delicacy of his bones, but also the coldness and frigidity of his traumatised self. THE MANHUNT

After the first phase,after passionate nights and intimate days,

only then would he let me trace the frozen river which ran through his face,

only then would he let me explorethe blown hinge of his lower jaw,

and handle and holdthe damaged, porcelain collar-bone

and mind and attendthe fractured rudder of shoulder-blade,

and finger and thumbthe parachute silk of his punctured lung.

Only then could I bind the strutsand climb the rungs of his broken ribs,

CLOSE ANALYSIS LINES 5-8To have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.The next two stanzas continue Lauras exploration of Eddies injuries, with the anaphora of only then being used to show the painstakingly slow process of Lauras manhunt.In line 6, his jaw is described as being a blown hinge. The word hinge connotes a door, which is also suggested because it rhymes with jaw, and the blown hinge suggests that Laura cannot open the door into Eddies mind without fixing him first.

In the next line, the alliteration of handle and hold draws attention to this phrase, which is an allusion to the marriage service, To have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part. This sums up the incredible sensitivity and feeling in the poem of Laura remaining loyal to her lover, despite the difficulty she has in renewing their relationship. Armitage has replaced the word have with handle to suggest that Laura will have to work at handling Eddie, rather than merely having him around.Armitage shows the extent of Eddies change when he describes his damaged collar-bone as porcelain, which accentuates the delicacy of his bones, but also the coldness and frigidity of his traumatised self.9only then would he let me trace the frozen river which ran through his face,

only then would he let me explorethe blown hinge of his lower jaw,

and handle and holdthe damaged, porcelain collar-bone

and mind and attendthe fractured rudder of shoulder-blade,

and finger and thumbthe parachute silk of his punctured lung.

Only then could I bind the strutsand climb the rungs of his broken ribs,

and feel the hurt of his grazed heart.

Skirting along, only then could I picture the scan,

CLOSE ANALYSIS LINES 9-12Fractured rudder a rudder is used for steering a boat; Eddie has lost his wayParachute silk used to drop men behind enemy lines, which is where Laura wants to go.Parachutes are used as a last resort even Eddies last resort is puncturedDamaged parachutes would be thrown away, in the same way Eddie was discharged.Perfect rhyme shows intimacyHalf-rhyme / assonance shows fragilityphase / daystrace / faceexplore / jawattend / bladethumb / lungstruts / rungs / ribshurt / heart

Before, the couplets showed intimacy through the use of their perfect rhymes. However, in the following stanzas the lines are only just held together with use of half rhyme and assonance, in the same way that Eddies wounded body is only just being held together. These loose lines represent the fragility of Eddies body, and their relationship.The metaphors of Eddies body continue. His shoulder-blade is a fractured rudder. A rudder is used to steer a boat, so a broken rudder suggests that Eddie has, mentally, lost his way, and needs help from Laura to steer himself straight. His lung is described as parachute silk, which also has connotations to travelling and methods of warfare. Parachutes are used in wars to drop men behind enemy lines, into unknown territory this is precisely where Laura wants to go: into the unknown territory of Eddies body and mind.Parachutes are also used as a last resort when a plane malfunctions, so a punctured parachute indicates that even Eddies last resort is useless, and he is in danger. A damaged parachute in the military would be of no use and would be throw away, in the same way that Eddie was discharged. The alliterative p of parachute silk punctured lung stresses the destructive force of the bullet cutting through the delicate membrane of Eddies lung. The juxtaposition of the alliteration and the imagery of the delicate properties stress the fragile nature of the human condition.

10and handle and holdthe damaged, porcelain collar-bone

and mind and attendthe fractured rudder of shoulder-blade,

and finger and thumbthe parachute silk of his punctured lung.

Only then could I bind the strutsand climb the rungs of his broken ribs,

and feel the hurt of his grazed heart.

Skirting along, only then could I picture the scan,

the foetus of metal beneath his chestwhere the bullet had finally come to rest.

Then I widened the search, traced the scarring back to its source

CLOSE ANALYSIS LINES 13-16Only then returns after previously end-stopped line to show that, after a break, the search is continuing.Eddies ribs have become rungs of a ladder in need of strengtheningAlliteration in the rungs of his broken ribs emphasizes the broken quality of Eddies ribs.Climbing a ladder is reflective of the effort in Lauras search for answers.Fractured, broken implies they can be fixed, and relationship mended. But grazed heart shows mental scars harder to fix.Line 16 is end-stopped, showing a significant moment where Laura pauses for reflection. It contrasts with the previous extensive enjambment.

The repetition of only then once more shows that, after the previous line being end-stopped, the search for Eddie has been continued after a small lapse.The snappy alliterative sounds of r in the rungs of his broken ribs emphasize the broken quality of Eddies ribs, which have become rungs of a ladder in need of strengthening before it is suitable to climb. A climb reflects Lauras extensive effort in her gradual search for answers. In previous stanzas, the adjectives used to describe Eddies body parts have been adjectives such as fractured or broken, which implies that, optimistically, they can be fixed. This therefore suggests tat Laura hopes their relationship can be mended. However, in line 16, the poem becomes more ominous as Laura mentions Eddies grazed heart. Mental scars are invisible, much harder to fix, and far more permanent. Eddies grazed heart suggests he may have lost the ability to love as he used to.The end of line 16 is end-stopped, showing this is a significant moment where Laura pauses for reflection. It contrasts with the previous extensive enjambment to show that this section of the poem is over, and a different kind of search is about to take place a mental one.

11and finger and thumbthe parachute silk of his punctured lung.

Only then could I bind the strutsand climb the rungs of his broken ribs,

and feel the hurt of his grazed heart.

Skirting along, only then could I picture the scan,

the foetus of metal beneath his chestwhere the bullet had finally come to rest.

Then I widened the search, traced the scarring back to its source

to a sweating, unexploded mineburied deep in his mind, around which

every nerve in his body had tightened and closed.Then, and only then, did I come close.

CLOSE ANALYSIS LINES 17-20Going round the edges, being wary of her husband, being as silent as she can.Only touching the edges and not the centre of his problems.Only once Laura stopped focusing on physical problems did she realise the problem was psychological too.The metal foetus suggests that the destructive nature of a bullet is growing within Eddie. Foetus"suggests that, like having a baby, the couple's relationship will be forever changed by what he has gone through. Eddie is as dependant as a baby.The word scan ties in with the idea of a baby being born.The perfect rhyme and end-stopped line (that rhymes) gives a physical pause for the reader to stop, echoing the stopping of the bullet.The bullet is beneath (Eddies) chest - the war may have altered or even destroyed his ability to love.skirtskt/verb1. go round or past the edge of.2. attempt to ignore; avoid dealing with.

Skirting, the word which starts the next stanza, has two meanings. It may suggest that Laura is moving around the edge of the room, being wary of her husband and being as silent as possible so she doesnt disturb him. This meaning can be carried along to suggest that Laura is, with her physical examinations, only touching the edge and not the centre of Eddies problem. The second meaning, of attempting to ignore something, may imply she has previously hoped that fixing Eddie physically will be enough to fix him entirely, because fixing somebodys mind is a far harder challenge. It was only once Laura stopped focusing on the physical problems that she realised the problem was psychological too, and only then could she picture the scan of the whole picture.The metal foetus suggests that the destructive nature of a bullet is growing within Eddie. The word foetus"suggests that, like having a baby, the couple's relationship will be forever changed by what he has gone through and that, like a baby, Eddie will for a while be completely dependant on Laura and will have to trust her. The word scan ties in with the idea of a baby being born.The perfect rhyme and end-stopped line gives a physical pause for the reader to stop at, echoing the stopping of the bullet.The fact that the bullet is beneath (Eddies) chest, and where his heart is, once again suggests that the war may have altered or even destroyed his ability to love12and feel the hurt of his grazed heart.

Skirting along, only then could I picture the scan,

the foetus of metal beneath his chestwhere the bullet had finally come to rest.

Then I widened the search, traced the scarring back to its source

to a sweating, unexploded mineburied deep in his mind, around which

every nerve in his body had tightened and closed.Then, and only then, did I come close.

SIMON ARMITAGE

CLOSE ANALYSIS LINES 21-26Laura doesnt widen the search physically she expands it inwards, into Eddies mind.The unexploded mine in Eddies mind implies that there is a danger he will explode at anytime, and is potentially dangerously violent, which could be a worry for Laura and her children. Personification of the mine sweating shows it has become so ingrained into Eddies mind it has obtained human qualities. End-stopped line tightened and closed. - physical portrayal of Laura being shut out.Eddie has remained silent, passive and unknown. Laura accepts the manhunt was unsuccessful she still cannot find her husband, only come close.

Now, Laura finds the root of Eddies problem. The use of the term widened to describe Lauras expansion of the search is interesting because, in reality, after she has methodically examined all of Eddies physical features, she expands the search inwards, into the internal workings of Eddies mind. The inability to physically examine a mind, as you would a broken arm, is what makes it so difficult to treat it.The unexploded mine in Eddies mind implies that there is a danger he will explode at anytime, and is potentially dangerously violent, which could be a worry for Laura and her children. The personification of the mine sweating shows that it has become so ingrained into Eddies mind it has obtained human qualities. It also shows Eddie is hot and uncomfortable, perhaps nervous at Lauras probing. The End-stopped line tightened and closed. is a physical portrayal of Laura being shut out of Eddies mind. Throughout the poem, Eddie has remained passive, silent and unknown, which actually makes his mental torments more terrible because they remain hidden and unknown perhaps forever unknowable. The poem ends with Laura accepting that her manhunt has been unsuccessful, and that despite her progress, she can only come close to understanding Eddies horrific experience.

13THEMESSemantic Field of Hospitals and Surgery

attend (nurses)fracturedbrokenbindscanfoetusscarringnerveUnnatural Body Partsparachute silk lungrudder of shoulder-bladefoetus of metalstruts of ribsjaw hingeporcelain collarboneThroughout the poem, there is a semantic field of hospitals and surgery, indicating Laura is trying to find her old Eddie through fixing him. Also, his body parts are always compared to an object, usually metal, that seems to take his place. This may signify that Eddie is now a collection of parts that do not build a whole human. It may suggest that he, and his features, are no longer natural. Taking orders from the UN may have turned him into a machine as a soldier, rather than a man. The metaphors are used extensively to describe the damaged parts of Eddies body, in a warped version of a traditional poetic blazon where specific parts of a lovers body are examined through the use of metaphor, and praised for their perfections and beauty. This shows the extent of Lauras love Eddies body has been damaged and is far from perfect, yet her close scrutiny remains. These metaphors use adjectives such as frozen, damaged, fractured, punctured and grazed all of these can be applied to Eddies psychological condition.

14After the first phase,after passionate nights and intimate days,

only then would he let me tracethe frozen river which ran through his face,

only then would he let me explorethe blown hinge of his lower jaw

and handle and holdthe damaged, porcelain collar bone,

and mind and attendthe fractured rudder of shoulder-blade,

and finger and thumbthe parachute silk of his punctured lung.

Only then could I bind the strutsand climb the rungs of his broken ribs,

and feel the hurtof his grazed heart.

Skirting along,only then could I picture the scan,

the foetus of metal beneath his chestwhere the bullet had come to rest.

Then I widened the search,traced the scarring back to its source

to a sweating, unexploded mineburied deep in his mind, around which

every nerve in his body had tightened and closed.Then, and only then, did I come close.After the first phase,after passionate nights and intimate days,

only then would he let me tracethe frozen river which ran through his face,

only then would he let me explorethe blown hinge of his lower jaw

and handle and holdthe damaged, porcelain collar bone,

and mind and attendthe fractured rudder of shoulder-blade,

and finger and thumbthe parachute silk of his punctured lung.

Only then could I bind the strutsand climb the rungs of his broken ribs,

and feel the hurtof his grazed heart.

Skirting along,only then could I picture the scan,

the foetus of metal beneath his chestwhere the bullet had come to rest.

Then I widened the search,traced the scarring back to its source

to a sweating, unexploded mineburied deep in his mind, around which

every nerve in his body had tightened and closed.Then, and only then, did I come close.Finally, a critic named Margaret Newman suggested that the poem is set out on the page in the shape of a human being the outline of a victim of crime chalked on the ground. This would link to the concept of a manhunt, and to the idea of a human being reduced to an outline of the person they were. What do you think?15