War in British Literature

      British writers treated and reacted to war in different ways. After WWI writers started to speak out more against the harsh realities of war. We see a very different tone in Tennyson's The Charge of the Light Brigade compared to the later 20th century authors. In the Victorian Era Britain was flourishing and expanding its empire. They felt that it was their duty to carry the "white man's burden" and install British sensibilities and religion in other colonies. War was celebrated as expanding the power, heritage, and assets of the Empire. Soldier's killed in action were glorified for giving their life for the empire. In Tennyson's last stanza;

"When can their glory fade?/ O the wild charge they made!/ All the world wondered./ Honour the charge they made!/ Honour the Light Brigade,/ Noble six hundred!" (702 1st ed) The words glory, honour, and noble stand out evoking emotions of patriotism and duty. We aren't left questioning the reasons of the war but in awe of the brave 600. I also noticed "All the world wondered" repeated twice. This decision adds to the gravity of the scene, and glorifies the act on a world stage. It's easy to see why when looking at the context of the wars; during the Crimean War (1853-54) Britain lost around 25,000 soldiers, whereas WWI was fought on the home front and led to over 900,000 soldiers killed in action.

      Due to the huge differences in magnitude of wars as well as the state of Britain Post-WWI the later works give a more realistic depiction of war and loss. Owen's Dulce et Decoru, Est leaves a very different taste in your mouth; "My friend, you would not tell with such high zest/ To children ardent for some desperate glory?/ The old Lie: Sweet and fitting it is to die for one's country" (1118). Owen brings the horrors and nightmares of war to light while also working directly against the tradition that its an honor to die for ones country. No patriotic nod to the greatness of Britain but only looming unheroic death. Gurney takes on the same tone in "To his Love" describing a fallen soldiers as a "red wet thing I must somehow forget" (1129). A common thread between the poets who served in the war is their style representing their fragmented sense of self. Owen uses weird half rhymes in Strange Meeting as well as unconventional stanza/meter styles in other works. The Aftermath of WWI changed British Literature drastically; no longer the ideal or the realistic but a new era without identity. Writers and readers alike are left trying to make sense or direction from the remaining fragments.