Literature Reader 1

• newEditor
• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

First World War Literature

2 and four in duos and more

In duos: What do you know/ comes to mind about WW1, in 1 word

1) In turns, write down one word, one person writes the other thinks. Make a list. (pingpong idea)

2) On my signal form a group of 4 and add to your list

3) Which group of four is able to write down the most words?

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World War 1

Watch the video, did you recognize your words/ ideas? Which new ones can you add?

World War 1 in 1 word

Goals

1) "I can explain the historical events and context of the First World War and how they influenced literature."

2) "I can identify and discuss key themes like loss, patriotism, and the impact of war in First World War literature."

3) "I can analyze the language and techniques authors use to convey their ideas about war."

4) "I can relate the experiences described in First World War literature to broader human emotions and challenges."

5)  "I can share my thoughts and feelings about First World War literature through discussions, projects, or writing."

Lesson 1 & 2

Goals: 

1) Learn about the historic context while working on a creative group project

2) Learn how to analyze major themes in a poem, reading it critically 

How? 

1) Introduction literature lessons

2) research project + in class presentations

3) Class reading of "the Soldier"

Project

--> As a group, create a final product (presentation/ poster/ dance ;)) on the historic context of WW1

--> How? 

1. Go to the "differentiatie" part. Choose the videos you need, select them based on your group's skill level

2. --> Find the answer to the given reasearch questions

3. --> Decide on the way you want to present your findings to other groups

Myth

Reality

Rupert Brooke

1887-1915

well-to-do family

Cambridge, intellectual

Golden Warrior

Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve

5 war sonnets: Nineteen Fourteen

Capturing the mood of the moment

Bloodpoisoning from insect bite

The Soldier

Themes: Patriotism

"if I should die..."

The soldier: Foolishly naive and sentimental?

1

Yes, let me explain...

2

No, let me explain...

Objectives

"I can identify and discuss key themes like loss, patriotism, and the impact of war in First World War literature."

"I can analyze the language and techniques authors use to convey their ideas about war."

"I can relate the experiences described in First World War literature to broader human emotions and challenges."

Objectives Today

Today you will learn more about life in the trenches.

After today you know:

• who Siegfried Sassoon was;

• what shellshock is;

• how to analyse the poem Attack.

Before we start..

A short test to see what you remember about The Soldier (Brooke)...

In The Soldier, why was the concealed dust 'richer'?

A

It was made of gold.

B

It was made of honour.

C

It was made by a rich man.

D

I have absolutely no idea.

In The Soldier, why was the concealed dust 'richer'?

The “dust” is the soldier’s body after death.

It is “richer” because:

• he was shaped by England’s culture, love, and ideals;

• his sacrifice gives the soil spiritual and patriotic value;

• So “richer” means morally/spiritually richer, not literally wealthy or golden.

Siegfried Sassoon

Watch the video and write down main points

Siegfried Sassoon: A War Poet's Journey - Documentary Preview 

About the author

• Siegfried Sassoon

• 1886 - 1967

• Privileged background

• Joined army

• In his regiment, met other ‘soldier-poets’ like Robert Graves

Soldier-Poets

• Group of British Poets who fought in WWI

•Wrote directly from their experience as soldiers

•Were wounded or died in the war themselves

•Their work became central to how we remember the war

Siegfried Sassoon

• Experienced the horrors of war

• Witnessed extreme carnage

• Became strongly anti-war

• Act of wilful defiance of military authority

• Publicly protested the war in 1917

• Calling it 'senseless slaughter'

• Refused to continue fighting

• He would be sent to jail for this

Siegfried Sassoon

• Graves helped save Sassoon’s freedom, reputation, and possibly his future career as a poet.

• Graves intervened

• Claimed Sassoon was suffering from shell shock

  • (what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD))

• Helped get him into Craiglockheart War Hospital instead

• Here Sassoon met Wilfred Owen and mentored him

Attack

Website

https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/siegfried-sassoon/attack

Today

Today you are going to read and analyse another poem by Sassoon.

But first, let's refresh your memories. Answer the questions while watching the video

Sassoon's poetry shows a great contrast to that of Brooke's. Not Patriotism but "brutal realism". Why?

How would fellow soldiers describe Sassoon (or "Mad Jack")?

In what way was Sassoon changed after returning to the front?

Explain his "act of willful defiance"

What do you expect the tone of his poetry to be after having been through all of this?

Objectives

1. "I can identify and discuss key themes like loss, patriotism, and the impact of war in First World War literature."

2.  "I can analyse the language and techniques authors use to convey their ideas about war."

3.  "I can share my thoughts and feelings about First World War literature through discussions, projects, or writing."

Does it matter

A poem is divided into stanzas:  a division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually recurring pattern of meter and rhyme.

Look at "Does it matter"

What is the same in each stanza?

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Answer

They all start with a question. We'll see later on why this is important.

Literary terms:

Imagery- Imagery refers to the elements of a poem that engage a reader’s senses. These are the important sights, sounds, feelings, and smells.

Does It Matter?

In groups of three or four:

1. Individually, read the poem carefully. Underline words you do not know

2. Check the unknown words, make sure every group member understands them

3. Answer the following questions

4. In 7 minutes class discussion

5. Done? Answer the questions in your reader

1. How would you characterise the tone? Find examples in the poem to prove your point.

2. What is the theme?

3. What images are used in the poem, and what is the effect?

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Tone: Sarcastic

• Each situation (question) described in the first line of each stanza is quite horrific

• These situations are all after-effects from the war

• However, they are all nullified by the ‘advantages’ given in the rest of the stanza

• Therefore they do not seem to matter.

What is the theme of this poem?

Theme: Possible answers

anti-war

horrors of the war

perception of mental health

Give examples of Imagery in this poem

Possible answers

being blind

losing limbs

going mad

Question

Why do you think the repetition of the question 'Does it matter?' is important?

Answer

1. It creates strong irony - In each stanza the question is followed by something that does matter (losing your legs, going blind, being traumatised).

2. It reflects society's attitude - It criticises society’s indifference (onverschilligheid) to the soldier's suffering

Task ahead

Look in your reader and answer the questions about 

"Does It Matter?"

Objectives reached? Describe in one sentence what the key themes are in this poem and how language is used to covey the message.

Compare "attack" and "does it matter"; which poem speaks to you most?

1

Attack

2

Does it matter

Today's Goals:

At the end of this lesson you know more about:

- Wilfred Owen, a War Poet (1893-1918)

- His poem 'Dulce et Decorum Est'

War Poets

Sigfried Sassoon & Wilfred Owen 

War Poets

Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)

Killed in action at the age of 25.

Wrote nearly all of his work within a year. (August 1917- September 1918)

Siegfried Sassoon was born on 8 September 1886 and died on 1 September 1967 in Heytesbury, Great Britain. He studied at Cambridge but never graduated there. He enlisted after the war had started and left for France in May 1915. Sassoon turned out to be a courageous soldier and got wounded twice for which he received the honour of the Military Cross. Despite of that, he became more and more angry about the needless loss of young lives and the severe conditions these young soldiers had to endure. After getting wounded a third time, he was sent to England where he started writing poetry about his experiences. That's when he met Wilfred Owen whose work he started promoting fairly soon after. After some debate he did return to France to fight until the end of the War. His written work named Counter- Attack which was published shortly after the War impressed many who read it. The bitterness it portrayed was something not many had dared to write and/ or publish.

Propaganda played a big role during this war. Because of pamflets like the one that's shown and many others, young boys were being temped (and felt obliged) to serve their country. What they often didn't realise is that they could die in the trenches. 

Wat is de 'toon' van dit gedicht?

A

blij

B

verdrietig

C

confronterend

D

overdreven

20-09: Menin Road - British loss 22.000 men; gain 800 yards

25-09: Polygon Wood - British loss 17.000 men; gain 1.000 yards

12-10: Passchendaele - British loss 13.000 (in 3h); gain 100 yards

Battle of Verdun: 600.000 men (total loss)

Battle of the Somme: 1.000.000 (total loss)

“Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”

William Wordsworth

WILFRED OWEN (1893-1918)

• Schokkende, realistische gedichten

• In 1917 naar huis, vrijwillig terug

• Gruwelen van het front vertellen

• Stierf een week voor het eind van de oorlog

• Werk uitgegeven na zijn dood

WILFRED OWEN (1893-1918)

Dulce et Decorum est

Gifgasaanval

Gruwelijke details

'the Old Lie'

The Old Lie

"Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori"

Horace's Odes

It is sweet and fitting to die for your country.

Interactive

In groups of 2-4: create 5 interview questions you would want to ask Siegfried Sassoon based on what you have learned about World War One poetry and his poems so far. Go to Magic School and chat with Sassoon! Write down the answers to your questions. Try to find out as much as possible. 

Research time!

In small groups find out about the following topics, using the videos and AI research assistant in the next slides:
- What were the main causes for WW1?

- Which alliances were formed?

- When did it all take place (generally?)

- What is trench warfare + what was life in the trenches like for soldiers?

- What was the role of women during the war?

- How did the war come to an end?

Create a final product (presentation/ poster/ etc.) to show in class

AI Research Assistant

Use the "Magicschool" classroom tool: "Research Assistant" to help you with your research.

Website

https://student.magicschool.ai/s/join?joinCode=RCKzeg