Question 1: Briefly describe the overall structure of 'Remains'. How many stanzas are there, and what is the general pattern of lines or verses?

Answer: The poem consists of several sections, mainly written in free verse without a fixed stanza pattern, reflecting a conversational, fragmented structure.

Question 2: How does the use of enjambment across lines influence the poem’s rhythm and tone?

Answer: Enjambment creates a flowing, often chaotic rhythm that mirrors the speaker’s disturbed mental state and the ongoing trauma.

Question 3: Identify one stanza where the structure shifts significantly. What is the effect of this change?

Answer: The shift occurs in the final lines, where the stanza becomes more fragmented, emphasizing the speaker’s emotional breakdown and guilt.

Question 1: Quote Explosion: Examine the line 'Probably armed, possibly not' — analyze how the short, contrasting sentences affect the reader’s perception of uncertainty and guilt.

Answer: The brevity of the sentences underscores the narrator’s conflicted feelings and ambiguity about the soldier’s actions, intensifying the sense of moral confusion.

Question 2: Identify and analyze the use of caesura in the poem. How does it affect the pacing and mood?

Answer: Caesura creates pauses that slow down the reading, emphasizing moments of reflection or trauma, thus deepening the emotional impact.

Question 3: How does the structure of the poem reflect the chaos of war and its aftermath?

Answer: The fragmented, free verse structure mimics the disorder and trauma experienced by soldiers, emphasizing the lingering psychological scars and the unpredictable nature of war’s aftermath.

Question 1: How does the disjointed structure of 'Remains' reinforce the theme of mental trauma?

Answer: The fractured structure mirrors the fractured mind of the soldier, highlighting ongoing psychological trauma and guilt.

Question 2: Discuss how the poem’s structure mirrors the chaos and unpredictability of war, relating this to the theme of conflict.

Answer: The lack of a regular pattern, abrupt shifts, and fragmented lines reflect the chaos of war, its unpredictable nature, and the lasting disorder it leaves in soldiers’ minds.

Question 1: Compare the structures of 'Remains' and 'Ozymandias'. How does each poem’s form reflect its themes about power?

Answer: While 'Ozymandias' uses sonnet form and a structured rhyme scheme to depict the fall of an emperor’s power, 'Remains' employs free verse and disjointed lines to represent the chaos of war and guilt. Both structures reinforce their respective themes—ephemeral power versus enduring psychological scars.

Question 1: Extended response: Analyze how Armitage’s structural choices—such as free verse, enjambment, and fragmented lines—contribute to the portrayal of trauma and guilt. Support your points with quotations and detailed analysis.

Answer: Students should discuss how the poem’s free verse and lack of regular pattern create a sense of chaos that mirrors the mental state of the narrator. The use of enjambment allows for a flowing yet unsettled rhythm, symbolizing ongoing turmoil. Fragmented lines and sudden shifts in structure evoke the fractured psyche of a soldier haunted by his experiences, intensifying the emotional impact on the reader.