Eng 210 War And The Fashioning Of Genderfussellthe Great War And Mod ✓ Solved

ENG 210, War and the Fashioning of Gender Fussell, The Great War and Modern Memory · Early enthusiasm for the Great War sense of chivalric ideals of heroism vs. growing objection to mounting atrocities · Evidence of the industrial revolution--imagery of technological progress · The “alternative reality†of the trench and No-Man’s Land · Function of popular imagery rats, lice, flowers, birds · Sunrise/sunset as “fully freighted with implicit aesthetic and moral meaning†(p.55)--appropriation of pastoral conventions · · Endlessness of battle · Focus on particular body parts corporeal specificity · Layers of revolution/rebellion: Industrial Revolution WW1 itself Revolt against war’s violence · Dichotomizing--Us vs. them, demonizing of the enemy--“the drama of the binary†(p.88) Break of Day in Trenches --Isaac Rosenberg The darkness crumbles away.

It is the same old druid Time as ever, Only a live thing leaps my hand, A queer sardonic rat, As I pull the parapet’s poppy To stick behind my ear. Droll rat, they would shoot you if they knew Your cosmopolitan sympathies. Now you have touched this English hand You will do the same to a German Soon, no doubt, if it be your pleasure To cross the sleeping green between. It seems you inwardly grin as you pass Strong eyes, fine limbs, haughty athletes, Less chanced than you for life, Bonds to the whims of murder, Sprawled in the bowels of the earth, The torn fields of France. What do you see in our eyes At the shrieking iron and flame Hurled through still heavens?

What quaver—what heart aghast? Poppies whose roots are in man’s veins Drop, and are ever dropping; But mine in my ear is safe— Just a little white with the dust. Returning, We Hear the Larks --Isaac Rosenberg Sombre the night is: And, though we have our lives, we know What sinister threat lurks there. Dragging these anguished limbs, we only know This poison-blasted track opens on our camp— On a little safe sleep. But hark!

Joy—joy—strange joy. Lo! Heights of night ringing with unseen larks: Music showering on our upturned listening faces. Death could drop from the dark As easily as song— But song only dropped, Like a blind man's dreams on the sand By dangerous tides; Like a girl's dark hair, for she dreams no ruin lies there, Or her kisses where a serpent hides. Dulce et Decorum Est --Wilfred Owen Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs, And towards our distant rest began to trudge.

Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots, But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of gas-shells dropping softly behind. Gas! GAS!

Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time, But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.— Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,— My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori.

Anthem for Doomed Youth --Wilfred Owen What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? — Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,— The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

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The Great War and the Fashioning of Gender: An Exploration through Poetry

The First World War, often referred to as the Great War, not only shaped the geopolitical landscape of the world but also made significant contributions to the evolution of gender roles, influence on literature, and societal perception. This assignment will explore how war influences notions of gender, as demonstrated in the poetry of Isaac Rosenberg and Wilfred Owen, who expressed the horrors of war and its impact on humanity, focusing on the ways in which gender is depicted and constructed in their works.

The Chivalric Ideals and Heroism

At the outset of the Great War, many young men were swept up by an idealized notion of heroism — a longing for glory and chivalric ideals that conflated patriotism with masculinity (Fussell, 1975). This perspective was propagated through propaganda, which presented the war as a noble enterprise that required brave men to defend their homeland. The identification of masculinity with battle not only celebrated valor but also marginalized those who did not conform to these ideals, especially women and the effeminate (Kinsella, 1997).
Rosenberg’s “Break of Day in the Trenches” reflects on the hollowness of these ideals. The poem juxtaposes the vibrancy of life, represented by the rat and poppy, with the grotesqueness of death on the battlefield. The rat, a "droll" creature, transcends the human dichotomies of nationality, demonstrating that life persistently endures amidst destruction. It is not the heroism of men that is highlighted, but their shared vulnerability — a direct challenge to traditional masculine ideals (Rosenberg, 1916).

The Dichotomy of Us vs. Them

Simultaneously, the war crafted a stark dichotomy of Us versus Them, manifesting in the demonization of the enemy. This binary narrative allowed combatants to rationalize their actions and fostered a sense of camaraderie among soldiers, as they were unified by a common purpose against a perceived threat (Hynes, 1991). In “Dulce et Decorum Est,” Owen starkly illustrates the horror that soldiers face, shattering the mythos surrounding battle and duty. His vivid imagery encapsulates the physical degradation of soldiers to a point where they are “Bent double, like old beggars under sacks” (Owen, 1920).
Unlike prior poetry that celebrated war, Owen presents a raw and unglamorous reality, confronting the romantic ideals that supported the war effort. His reference to the poet’s responsibility to truth-telling emphasizes the continuous impact of war on identity and memory — suggesting that such binaries and romanticized visions of valor are not merely harmful but deadly, especially to the younger generations who are fed this “old Lie” (Owen, 1920).

The Alternative Reality of the Trench

The trenches presented an ‘alternative reality’ where life and death coexisted uncomfortably (Fussell, 1975). The elements of despair and the presence of vermin and decay create a visceral depiction of life at the front. In “Returning, We Hear the Larks,” Rosenberg contrasts the beauty of the natural world — the ‘larks’ that symbolize hope and normalcy — against the backdrop of destruction and the overwhelming sensation of loss. The “poison-blasted track” is a reminder of the physical and emotional scars carried by soldiers, symbolizing a deep rupture in the understanding of identity (Rosenberg, 1916).
This paradox deepens the connection between gender roles and suffering. The male body is rendered a site of contention where ideals of masculinity are both constructed and deconstructed. Soldiers are not just fighters; they are transformed into objects of pity and loss, their identities fragmented by war, which critiques the rigid definitions of masculinity that uphold such heroism (Showalter, 1985).

The Function of Imagery

In both poets’ works, imagery serves as a powerful tool to connect emotional experiences with physical realities. Whitman’s pastoral conventions are repurposed, as landscapes filled with poppies and larks are contrasted with scenes of death, decay, and desolation (Fussell, 1975). This subversion of the pastoral ideal highlights a bitterness toward an imagined pre-war order, suggesting that the idea of beauty is forever altered by the ravages of conflict.
The recurring themes of mortality in Owen's “Anthem for Doomed Youth” emphasize the horror of individuals dying in mass, likened to cattle. The juxtaposition of the mechanical, impersonal nature of war with the tenderness of mourning speaks to how gendered expectations complicate grief, particularly regarding the male experience (Owen, 1920). Soldiers are stripped of their humanity, reduced to mere cogs in a war machine, exposing the brutality of warfare that transcends conventional notions of bravery and masculinity.

Conclusion: War's Aftermath on Gender Constructs

The poetry of Rosenberg and Owen vividly illustrates the myriad ways in which the Great War influenced gender constructions and societal expectations. Their reflection on the experience of combat challenges conventional narratives of heroism, valor, and masculinity, exposing the gruesome realities beneath the surface of national pride. The vivid imagery and stark contrasts found in their works allow for a deeper understanding of the enduring impact of war — one that reshapes identity and human connection in ways that persist across generations.
As we consider the role of gender in literature and memory, it is essential to recognize the function of poetry in recording these complex emotions and experiences. The chivalric ideals of the past clash with the realism borne out of warfare, pointing to the ongoing struggle to grapple with the aftermath of conflict.

References

1. Fussell, P. (1975). The Great War and Modern Memory. Oxford University Press.
2. Kinsella, W. (1997). The Literature of War: Poetry, Novel, Drama. Longman.
3. Hynes, S. (1991). A War Imagined: The First World War and English Culture. University of Massachusetts Press.
4. Rosenberg, I. (1916). Break of Day in the Trenches. In Poems of the Great War.
5. Owen, W. (1920). Dulce et Decorum Est. In Poems.
6. Showalter, E. (1985). The Female Malady: Women, Madness and English Culture, 1830-1980. Virago Press.
7. Fussell, P. (1975). The Great War and Modern Memory. Oxford University Press.
8. Hynes, S. (1991). A War Imagined: The First World War and English Culture. University of Massachusetts Press.
9. Rosenberg, I. (1916). Returning, We Hear the Larks. In Poems of the Great War.
10. Owen, W. (1920). Anthem for Doomed Youth. In Poems of the Great War.
This comprehensive exploration highlights the complexity of gender narratives shaped by the violence of war and the profound cultural ramifications of conflict articulated through poetry. Through an examination of the texts, a richer understanding of the intersections between military experience, societal expectations, and literary representation is achieved.