The futility of World War One (Birdsong)
The portrayal of war in WW1 literature demonstrates a transition between glorification and futility. Through a detailed discussion of Birdsong, a selection of War Poetry and reference to Journey’s End, explore this portrayal.
The people of 21st century Britain are very much aware that World War One was a bloodbath in which the lives of an entire generation of young men were wasted. Their sacrifice, however only succeeded in forming the foundations for another brutal conflict 20 years later. World War One now symbolises the horror of human nature and the futility of war. However, these modern views bear only a passing resemblance to the experiences and beliefs of the time. Before, during and after the conflict, poets and authors created a wide range of literature, portraying the war as both heroic and horrific.
Jessie Pope’s poems such as “The Call” and “Who’s For The Game?” are examples of patriotism to the extent of completely trivialising war. They were a form of propaganda used to entice naïve young soldiers, who were excited by the prospects of entering this big “game” with all their friends. In the poem ‘The Call’ Jessie Pope uses a multitude of techniques to make the reader feel obligated to sign up. Even in the title, the use of “the”, suggests there will be no other call. “My laddie” illustrates Pope’s intended friendship with the reader as well as portraying a sense of sportsmanship. The direct mode of address makes the poem seem more personal, as if it is written just for you. The poem is extremely simplistic, using repetition and rhyming couplets, which means that it is accessible to everyone, and does not require any deeper thinking. She uses a lot of contrasts, such as juxtaposing “that procession comes/ Banners and rolling drums” with “who’ll stand and bite his thumbs”. Here she is representing the soldiers as heroes, who will be worshipped when they return home, and suggests that the solitary figure biting his thumbs is a shameful coward.
The people of 21st century Britain are very much aware that World War One was a bloodbath in which the lives of an entire generation of young men were wasted. Their sacrifice, however only succeeded in forming the foundations for another brutal conflict 20 years later. World War One now symbolises the horror of human nature and the futility of war. However, these modern views bear only a passing resemblance to the experiences and beliefs of the time. Before, during and after the conflict, poets and authors created a wide range of literature, portraying the war as both heroic and horrific.
Jessie Pope’s poems such as “The Call” and “Who’s For The Game?” are examples of patriotism to the extent of completely trivialising war. They were a form of propaganda used to entice naïve young soldiers, who were excited by the prospects of entering this big “game” with all their friends. In the poem ‘The Call’ Jessie Pope uses a multitude of techniques to make the reader feel obligated to sign up. Even in the title, the use of “the”, suggests there will be no other call. “My laddie” illustrates Pope’s intended friendship with the reader as well as portraying a sense of sportsmanship. The direct mode of address makes the poem seem more personal, as if it is written just for you. The poem is extremely simplistic, using repetition and rhyming couplets, which means that it is accessible to everyone, and does not require any deeper thinking. She uses a lot of contrasts, such as juxtaposing “that procession comes/ Banners and rolling drums” with “who’ll stand and bite his thumbs”. Here she is representing the soldiers as heroes, who will be worshipped when they return home, and suggests that the solitary figure biting his thumbs is a shameful coward.