Welcome to our Edexcel Poetry short course focusing on the poem "The Manhunt" by Simon Armitage.
 
This poem is a deeply emotional exploration of the impact of war on the relationships between soldiers and their loved ones. It tells the story of a woman whose husband has returned from war with physical and emotional scars that she must learn to navigate. Armitage masterfully captures the pain and frustration of trying to heal a relationship that has been broken by trauma.
 
Throughout the poem, Armitage uses vivid imagery to describe the husband's injuries and the wife's attempts to help him heal. He describes "the damaged, porcelain collar-bone" and "the parachute silk of his punctured lung", highlighting the physical toll of war on the soldier's body. He also portrays the wife's efforts to help her husband as she "explores his injured, tender, nakedness" and "strokes and soothes" his scars.
 
As the poem progresses, Armitage reveals the emotional toll that the husband's experiences have had on him. He describes how the wife "runs" her "unexploded" fingers over his body, emphasizing the unspoken pain and trauma that he carries with him. The poem ends with a sense of hope as the wife vows to continue searching for ways to help her husband heal.
 
Through its powerful use of language and imagery, "The Manhunt" provides a poignant commentary on the effects of war on the relationships between soldiers and their loved ones. This course will guide you through a close reading of the poem, helping you to understand its themes, literary devices, and context.