Re: WW1 Poetry and contemporary values

[Meg Crane]

On 21 October 2012 19:26, Richard B <richard...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Any thoughts as to the extent to which the poetry of the Great War teaches us about the values and ideas of the time?  I'm mulling this over for an essay assignment. Patriotism, duty.....

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[Meg Crane]

Tell us your own thoughts, Richard!

 

My only possibly contentious idea, as a teacher, is that boys and young men still respond powerfully to the idea of travel, adventure and male companionship. These deep instincts make the armed forces seem attractive in certain ways, even if we set aside the more changeable ideas of patriotism and duty (I don't mean to imply that these have no force at all). There is also - is this particularly powerful in Britain? - the force of the idea of supporting a winning team.