Response To The Manhunt

779 Words4 Pages
Response to ‘the Manhunt’ or ‘Laura’s poem’ by Simon Armitage Elisabeth Stumvoll Upon first looking only at the title of this poem, the first thought that came to my mind is the connection to a hunt for animals. Where hunters chase and then shoot wild animals, like foxes and elks using shotguns. But instead of hunting animals, the poet has exchanged them with a wanted man. After reading the opening lines, I realized that this poem is supposed to express something different, so the poet is immediately creating a contrast between the title and the first few lines. The first couplet seems like it could be a normal love poem, as in the first stages of a new relationship, told through a women’s eye. What is interesting here is that there is reference to the so called ‘first phase’, which makes the reader interested since all the upcoming events are taking place after this ‘first phase’. You think about what it might stand for, how long it was and why it is mentioned. Could it be something harmless, such as only a little love affair or is there more behind it, maybe even a threat? The first phase is probably meant to be alluding to a new chapter in their relationship. As I read on, it becomes clear that the poem is about the intimate speaker and her lover, who has changed…show more content…
Complex metaphors such as ‘'the blown hinge of his lower jaw' and 'the damaged, porcelain collar-bone' emphasise how fragile the man is and that she has to be careful with him. Another metaphor is ‘The parachute silk of his punctured lung’, but a damaged Parachute, which were used also in the military, would be useless. The repetition ‘And handle and hold’ ‘and mind and attend’ ‘and finger and thumb’ with two verbs in each passage underline that this is an ongoing action. Laura’s own challenge, her ‘manhunt’ or ‘search’ is described in metaphorical terms as

More about Response To The Manhunt

Open Document