1918 meant the end of the First World War. This had an effect on the lives and literary output of writers and poets. The first part of the day is to look at how and why the First World War ended. Therefore the political and military events of 1918 will be investigated and form a framework for the next session. The second part of the workshop is to look at how the war and the events of 1918 affected writers and poets such as Vera Brittain, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen. There will be an opportunity to look at a range of poetry and writing. However the key issue is to understand how war both physically and psychologically affected individuals and therefore created a literary tradition all of its own because of the profound impact it had on some who took part.
Course aim
The aim is to provide a brief introduction to the events of 1918 in relation to the end of the First World War and how these affected poets and writers.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- No skills or experience needed
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Explain the reasons for the end of the First World War
- Evaluate the impact of the war on certain individuals such as Wilfred Owen
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How will I be taught?
- The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning
What kind of feedback can I expect?
- A range of informal activities will be used by the tutor to see what you are learning which may include quizzes, question and answer, small projects and discussion
What else do I need to know?
- Nothing else is needed
Pre-course work, reading and information sources
- No pre reading is required but research on the subject on the internet or in the library may be helpful
What can I do next?
- Progress to another WEA course
- Progress to a course with another provider
- Access the WEA What Next? booklet here http://www.wea.org.uk/learn-wea/what-can-i-do-next
Download full course outline
1918 Poets, Writers and the End of the First World War Course Outline
