Depictions of the First World War in the arts

Novels

The following are arranged alphabetically:

• All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque 1929
      Translated from German. The experience for German and Allied troops at the front line was extremely similar
   
• Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes
      A novel about the Somme
   
• Memoirs of an Infantry Officer by Siegfried Sassoon p1930
      A fictionalized version of Sassoon’s experiences in WW1 
   
• Not So Quiet: Stepdaughters of War by Helen Zenna Smith Pub. 1930
      Tells the story of women and girls who served as ambulance drivers on The Western Front
   
• Private Peaceful and War Horse Michael Morpurgo
      Although written for children these stories are a good way of reading about WW1
   
• Regeneration Pat Barker 1991
      Novel based on the work of Dr Rivers at Craiglockhart where Owen and Sassoon met
   
• Strange Meeting Susan Hill 1974
      The title is taken from Owen’s poem of that name

Plays

The following are arranged chronologically:

• Black ‘ell by Mile Mallison, 1917
      A powerful, one act play unusual because it was written during WW1
      You can read this on line: https://openlibrary.org/books/OL13996673M
  
  
• Journey’s End: R. C. Sherrif 1928
      A play about officers in the trenches, it was received badly when first performed for being unpatriotic and anti-war. It has been made into a film
   
• Oh, What a Lovely War! Joan Littlewood 1963
      A stage musical by Joan Littlewood based on the radio musical A Long Long Trail by Charles Chilton which used the first-hand experience of men who fought on the front line. In WW1. It carries a powerful anti-war message
   
• Accrington Pals by Peter Whelan 1982
      The smallest town in England to raise a pals’ battalion. The story of ordinary people: men at the Somme and women at home.
   
• My Boy Jack by David Haig 1997
      This play is about Rudyard Kipling and his son John (Jack) who was killed at the Somme. The title is taken from Kipling’s moving poem ‘My Son Jack’
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Db8zOE8jCE
  
  
• War Horse based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel of the same name
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-bni4QqSv4 based on the novel about WW1.

Films

The following are arranged chronologically:

• All Quiet on the Western Front 1930
      The most authentic film about WW1
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMs58D8RYKQ
   
• The Paths of Glory 1957
       An American anti-war film
   
• Oh, What a Lovely War! 1969
      The film version of the stage musical play
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RJCSMG1yTE
   
• Beneath Hill 60 2010
      An Australian film about tunnelling beneath the Western Front in WW1
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq5wLMHGX6s
   
• War Horse 2011
      The film of the play of the book. Some scenes create a realistic sense of WW1
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7lf9HgFAwQ

TV

• Blackadder Goes Forth by Ben Elton
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fssPqRWx9U0
      A funny and moving account of trench warfare. The last episode is famous.

Music

• War Requiem: Benjamin Britten 1962
      Britten used Owen’s poems in his Requiem. The link is to What Passing Bells based on Anthem for Doomed Youth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL4Jj4cDYj4
   
• Standing in Line Coope, Boyes and Simpson
      Private Peaceful, based on Morpurgo’s novel. Coope, Boyes and Simpson 2006
   
• Only Remembered
      These songs are about the men who were killed on the front sung by grandsons and great nephews who knew those they left behind
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyoJn8Ebb7I

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