Irony and the poetry of the First World War

How does irony affect the evaluation and perception of the First World War both then and now? Irony and the Poetry of the First World War traces one of the major features of war poetry from the author's application as a means of disguise, criticism or psychological therapy to its perception and interpretation by the reader. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Preface and Acknowledgements......Page 10 1.1 Irony and war......Page 12 1.2 Methodological reflections......Page 20 1.3.1 Censorship......Page 25 1.3.2 A literary war......Page 27 1.4 Outline of chapters......Page 33 2 Evasion......Page 38 2.1.1 The Romantic tradition......Page 39 2.1.2 Rural life......Page 52 2.1.3 Anti-landscapes......Page 55 2.2.1 Comrades and friends......Page 57 2.2.2 Outsider perspectives......Page 60 2.3.1 War at sea......Page 62 2.3.2 War in the air......Page 65 2.4 Technology......Page 75 2.4.1 The beauty of armour......Page 76 2.4.2 ‘Thick green light’......Page 78 3 Confrontation......Page 80 3.1.1 Politicians......Page 84 3.1.2 The Church......Page 86 3.2 War leaders......Page 105 3.3 Women......Page 112 3.3.1 Women at work......Page 113 3.3.2 Anger and grief......Page 119 3.4 Journalism......Page 125 4 Resignation......Page 131 4.1.1 Weather......Page 134 4.1.2 Food......Page 135 4.2 Wounds......Page 139 4.2.1 Physical......Page 140 4.2.2 Mental......Page 144 4.3 Death......Page 152 4.3.1 Rotting away......Page 153 4.3.2 'Decent taste'......Page 157 4.4 The futility of war......Page 159 5 Conclusion......Page 163 Notes......Page 171 Bibliography......Page 190 O......Page 212 Y......Page 213 How does irony affect the evaluation and perception of the First World War both then and now? Irony and the Poetry of the First World War explores the work of more than a hundred poets of the First World War ranging from well-known authors like Owen, Rosenberg or Sassoon to anonymous poets and songwriters. In doing so it traces one of the major features of war poetry from the author's application as a means of disguise, criticism or psychological therapy to its perception and interpretation by the reader. As linguists, literary scholars, philosophers, and psychologists interrogate the phenomenon of irony, Puissant's application of communication theory unites the various approaches in a sophisticated new assessment of the role and function of irony with regard to the poetry of the First World War--Résumé de l'éditeur How does irony affect the evaluation and perceptionof the First World War both then and now? This text traces one of the major features of war poetry from the author's application as a means of disguise, criticism or psychological therapy to its perception and interpretation by the reader