Contrary experiences

The First World War ignited with fervent enthusiasm, aggressive propaganda, and poets glorifying the notion of dying for one’s country. This fervor, combined with a belief in the enemy's guilt and the righteousness of one's own cause, created a psychological blend that blinded many to the realities of modern mass warfare. As the conflict unfolded, those in the thick of battle began to view their leaders' actions as a collective failure. The soldiers' writings, born from the grim experiences on the Western Front, formed a Literature of Disillusion. This body of work reflected the deep estrangement felt by front-line fighters from those untouched by the war's horrors, while simultaneously highlighting the profound connections forged among those who shared the battlefield, even extending to the enemy. The exploration of British soldiers' perspectives on their German counterparts reveals how their experiences shaped these views and how literature processed these attitudes. “Contrary Experiences” delves into various writings from the Great War, contrasting them with the anti-German propaganda prevalent at home and the psychological demands of trench warfare. The findings illustrate that, despite the war's unprecedented brutality, there remained space for moral behavior, affirming Wilfred Owen’s belief that ‘the poetry is in the pity’.