The First World War

The First World War is volume 8 of the series English and American Literature on demand. It is a digital book that offers an introduction to a variety of texts that are characteristic of the mood the war period.


In the four years of this war some 65 million soldiers served in the forces, and at least 10 million got killed in the various battlefields. More millions even had to live on with mental and physical problems as a result of their war experiences.

That is why after 1914 people remembered this war as The Great War. It had been so horrible, and the fighting so bloody, that people believed mankind would never want to be involved in a similar slaughter again.

However, in 1939, we saw the outbreak of a Second World War. Since that time The Great War has become The First World War, and The War to End All Wars proved to be no more than wishful thinking!


The literature of this Great War reflects the mood of the war.

At the outbreak English literature is almost triumphant. There is a mood of patriotism, optimism and readiness to face a war.

As the war moves on and develops into trench warfare, the reality of the horrendous killing and suffering produces a new way of writing. The poets who are continuously facing death and bloodshed protest against the sort of war they are fighting.

 

Readers have always been impressed and fascinated by the underlying emotions of the literature of this war, which has never been surpassed by any later war literature.

The words of the war poets have probably touched our deeper feelings as well.

In this digital, interactive book we bring you into contact with the main authors of the period, and, via unique techniques we enable you to see with your own eyes what their world looked like, and what them inspired to express themselves in verse.! 


We are sure the reading of this interactive book will also touch your emotions!