This Dada Painting Essay

As a German after World War I, George Grosz created “A Victim of Society.” This Dada painting acts as a reaction to the Great War through the representation of the destruction of man. The man in the painting is deformed and his humanity is being questioned, as the machination and development of war leads to a loss of humanity. This is shown in the replacement of the man’s nose and mouth with an electrical device of some sort, which could also suggest that his real face was lost in the war, due to artillery fire. The trowel-like object stuck in the man’s neck represents the memories of war returning with soldier’s after the armistice, as many soldiers were affected by mental diseases or had physical ailments that would remind them of the trauma they faced in the war. The question mark on the man’s forehead could represent the changing role of man in
Upon their return, soldiers often struggled to reintegrate into society due to the trauma they faced in war. The physical symptoms of their mental ailments led to a rise in divorce as the responsibilities of marriage changed while they were away. The role of men in society drastically changed due to the integration of women into the workforce during the war. Factory owners could pay women less than men for the same work, and so when the men returned from war, they were unwilling to pay the higher price for men. This loss of purpose, as well as the physical disabilities many soldiers suffered from, determined the roles of soldiers in society, and this made men “victims” as the society changed without their influence and upon their return, men were powerless to regain their place. Grosz shows the inability to move on and forget the trauma of war through the object hanging behind the man. By hanging conspicuously in the background, there is a clear constant reminder of the war, just as the soldiers were constantly suffering from the physical and mental complications of their experiences in