Regeneration triology
Most people have a universal definition of what a man is. It is universally understood that men are masculine figures, characterized by being non-emotional, aggressive, authoritative, rational and strong. For centuries men have been considered the “bread winner” of the family by providing food, shelter and money for his wife and children. Men are supposed to exemplify signs of courage and bravery, even during times of war. They are encouraged to enlist in the army to protect their loved ones and their country from outside forces. These very few characteristics that embrace the nature of men are held both in today’s society, but even more so eighty years ago during the First World War. Unfortunately, during World War I many men were forced to fight a different kind of war, a war that existed both on the battlefield and in their mind, which inadvertently affected the masculinity of soldiers and is well depicted in Pat Barker’s novel, Regeneration. Before the war European men were rushing to join the army. They found war as a convenience that would give them something to do, but ironically they had no conception of what the war would become. The Industrial Revolution, which took place in Britain at the end of the
Another way that World War I stripped Men of their masculinity was by making them social caring individuals. Forced to stay in Trenches for days, the men formed bonds with the soldiers that were with them. In Regeneration, Rivers states, “One of the paradoxes of war-one of the many-was that this most brutal of conflicts should set up a relationship between officers and men that was… domestic. Caring. As Layard would undoubtedly have said, maternal” (97). Almost all the characters that were in Barker’s novel felt guilty for abandoning their men, making them feel even more emasculated. Though Regeneration is a fictional work, Barker concentrates on maintaining realism to show the crisis men faced during the war. The details that she includes work to build a more realistic picture of the time and experiences of the First World War. She does an exceptional job representing the powerlessness that men felt when confronted with the shocking reality of war. The most drastic change in military tactics that affected the masculinity of a soldier was the use of Trench warfare. Trenches were ditches that extended on for miles, that were suppose to be used as protection from gunfire. They promoted disease and infection due to drainage and sewage. Many soldiers died from malnutrition, due to the lack and intake of rotten food. In between the trenches of the opposing sides was a massive stretch of land that was filled with barbed wire and explosive mines. This land was called No
Some topics in this essay:
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Revolution Britain,
,
Mans Land,
Medical Services,
Billy Prior,
Pat Barker’s,
Caring Layard,
Lockhart Scotland,
Regeneration Rivers,
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trench warfare,
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war industrial revolution,
pat barker’s novel,
courage bravery,
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Approximate Word count = 1010
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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