The Great War part I

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

The Great War

00:44

Describe what 'empire' means

01:41

The Great War was very different from previous wars. One difference was the use of 'modern' weapons. Name at least three

The Great War was very different from previous wars. One difference was the use of 'modern' weapons. Name at least three kinds of weapons that were new.

05:07

So far you have heard at least two nicknames for the Germans/German army. Which ones are correct?

1. the hun
2. Fritz
3. Uncle Sam
4. Howitzer

05:37

what kind of flower do you see here?

Do you know its significance

“I adore War. It’s just like a picnic without the objectlessness of a picnic.”

- Letter, Julian Grenfell, Captain 1st Royal Dragoons, 24 October 1914.

The war that was expected ‘to last no longer than a few months’ began in August 1914 and did not end until November 1918. It was referred to as the ‘Great War’ and ‘The War to End All’, and much later as the First World War. This war did alter the face of Europe and the rest of the world like no other war had and seemed to herald the end of an old era and the beginning of an entirely new one. The heroism with which millions of men initially welcomed the war soon changed into a devastating and static fight which easily outdid the pointlessness of the picnic described by Captain Grenfell above.  

With this project we would like to introduce you to various aspects of the Great War. During your History classes you will be familiarised with the historical and cultural background to the war discussing such topics as modern imperialism, the causes of the Great War, the role of women and the impact the war has had (and continues to have) on modern Europe. Your English classes will deal with literary texts, poems most notably, and visual art and music, to help you better understand the impact the Great War had on the changing role of Britain in the world.  

This reader contains practical and background information to the project which you need to prepare for classes and assessment. It should be taken to ALL classes. You can write in it and include all answers in this reader so please work neatly. There is extra writing space at the end of the Reader.  

Though the First World War may seem of special importance to the English-speaking world it is just one of many examples of the unfortunate and perhaps inevitable history of human suffering. So please show respect.  

         Your teachers of English.

Read the dialogue.

“Baldrick: […] The way I see it, these days there's a war on, right? and, ages ago, there wasn't a war on, right? So, there must have been a moment when there not being a war on went away, right? and there being a war on came along. So, what I want to know is: How did we get from the one case of affairs to the other case of affairs?

Edmund: Do you mean "How did the war start?"

Baldrick: Yeah.

George: The war started because of the vile Hun and his villainous empire-building.

Edmund: George, the British Empire at present covers a quarter of the globe, while the German Empire consists of a small sausage factory in Tanganyika. I hardly think that we can be entirely absolved of blame on the imperialistic front.”

 - From: Blackadder IV, Episode 6, “Goodbyeee”

The dialogue above comes from the script of the Blackadder series, an English sitcom situated in a World War One trench. Please give your definition of the term ‘imperialism’.

In the script, what critical comment does Edmund (Blackadder) make about Britain’s position in the world in relation to the start of World War One?

Rule Britannia - James Thomson

Rule, Britannia! is a British patriotic song (but not the national anthem!), originating from the poem Rule, Britannia by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in 1740. 

Its best known performance is at the yearly Proms in the Royal Albert Hall in London, when thousands of ‘Britons’ flock together to celebrate their common identity. 

Since 1672, Britannia has been anthropomorphised into a woman wearing a helmet, and carrying a shield and trident. 

Read Rule Britannia.
Mention two self-images of Britain in this song.

How might people from other nations take offence to this song?