LITERATURE AND PEACELITERATURE AND PEACE

A Project towards AwarenessA Project towards Awareness

TO FIND OUT HOW TO FIND OUT HOW LITERARY TEXTS MAY LITERARY TEXTS MAY

PROMOTE PEACEPROMOTE PEACE

LEARNING OBJECTIVELEARNING OBJECTIVE

MATERIALSMATERIALS

• W. SHAKESPEARE, W. SHAKESPEARE, MacbethMacbeth (English and Italian version), (English and Italian version), Mondadori 1990Mondadori 1990

• W. SHAKESPEARE, W. SHAKESPEARE, HamletHamlet, Act iii. Sc. 1., 57-87vv, from , Act iii. Sc. 1., 57-87vv, from handout.handout.

• S. SASSOON, S. SASSOON, TheyThey from War Poetry, he wrote this poem from War Poetry, he wrote this poem during the First World War.during the First World War.

• S. SASSOON, S. SASSOON, Glory of Women Glory of Women from War Poetry, he wrote this from War Poetry, he wrote this poem during the First World War.poem during the First World War.

• W. OWEN, W. OWEN, FutilityFutility from The Collected Poems by C. Day Lewis, from The Collected Poems by C. Day Lewis, 19631963

• W. OWEN, W. OWEN, A Poet’s StatementA Poet’s Statement from the Collected Poems by from the Collected Poems by C. Day Lewis, 1963C. Day Lewis, 1963

A SYMBOL OF PEACEA SYMBOL OF PEACE

The concept of peace is nowadays one of The concept of peace is nowadays one of the hottest all over the world. the hottest all over the world.

The conflicts inThe conflicts in Israe Israel, l, PalestinePalestine and and AfricaAfrica, the , the religious persecutionreligious persecution in the in the Far EastFar East and in and in South AfricaSouth Africa, the situation , the situation in in AfghanistanAfghanistan and in and in Iraq Iraq provideprovide daily daily proof of the difficulty to keep peace. proof of the difficulty to keep peace.

The global community is aware that the The global community is aware that the problem is an urgent responsibility for problem is an urgent responsibility for everybodyeverybody . .

PREFACE

Peace versus WarPeace versus War

It is not so difficult to see It is not so difficult to see similiaritiessimiliarities between between problematic situation in problematic situation in Shakespeare ‘s Shakespeare ‘s MacbethMacbeth and many of the reasons that underlie and many of the reasons that underlie the difficulty to reach the difficulty to reach peace todaypeace today. . Its characters, in their complexity and Its characters, in their complexity and contradictions, are still true and they express contradictions, are still true and they express disturbances and weakenessesdisturbances and weakenesses also present also present in the modern society that may lead to in the modern society that may lead to neglect neglect peace in favour of warpeace in favour of war..

Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s MacbethMacbeth

Even if he describes people Even if he describes people with different natures, each with different natures, each character in Shakespeare’s character in Shakespeare’s play ends up play ends up searching searching something she or he can’t something she or he can’t reach:reach: that is the situation that is the situation they believe will give them they believe will give them peace.peace.

MABETH’S CHARACTERS AND MABETH’S CHARACTERS AND PEACEPEACE

I’m going now I’m going now to illustrate why and how to illustrate why and how MacbethMacbeth provides a good example for provides a good example for reflection on peacereflection on peace. .

At the beginning, Duncan’s kingdom At the beginning, Duncan’s kingdom seems to be in perfect order: his seems to be in perfect order: his general Macbeth fights for him loyally. general Macbeth fights for him loyally.

Unfortunately Unfortunately human beings are human beings are always subjects to contradictory always subjects to contradictory passionspassions and conflicts that often drive and conflicts that often drive them them to choose the wrong direction.to choose the wrong direction.

This is justThis is just the case with Macbeth. the case with Macbeth.

Macbeth is tempted by his Macbeth is tempted by his ambitionambition, his fear of not , his fear of not seeing his courage and valour recognized; so he seeing his courage and valour recognized; so he and Lady Macbeth decided to kill Duncan.and Lady Macbeth decided to kill Duncan.You can see You can see the end of peace in the end of peace in MacbethMacbeth starts starts from the moment when the hero decides to believe from the moment when the hero decides to believe in the in the witches’ prophecywitches’ prophecy without a tangible proof. without a tangible proof.

AMBITION versus PEACE

After becoming king of After becoming king of Scotland and after Scotland and after committing a lot of committing a lot of crimescrimes, , Macbeth himself is not Macbeth himself is not happy because he has not happy because he has not found the peace he was found the peace he was looking forlooking for Everything Everything results vainresults vain if if our satisfied wishes are not our satisfied wishes are not accompained by pleasure.accompained by pleasure.As a matter of fact As a matter of fact it is it is better to die rather than better to die rather than living a happiness full of living a happiness full of anxiatiesanxiaties; as ; as Lady MacbethLady Macbeth says in the second scene of says in the second scene of Act III.Act III.

HIS WRONG CHOICES

By reading the play By reading the play the reader reflects the reader reflects about how often about how often man, under the man, under the influences of his influences of his passions and passions and greedgreed, is only , is only interested in interested in material things but, once he obtains but, once he obtains them, he realized them, he realized that they don’t give that they don’t give him peace.him peace.

REFLECTIONREFLECTION

Power, fame and Power, fame and riches are not riches are not everlasting and to everlasting and to keep them man has keep them man has to struggle and he to struggle and he therefore therefore risks to risks to sacrify valuessacrify values which are much which are much more important.more important.

FORGETTING VALUES IS FORGETTING VALUES IS DANGEROUSDANGEROUS

REFLECTING with REFLECTING with HamletHamlet

To be, or not to be: that is the To be, or not to be: that is the question:question:Whether ’t is nobler in the mind Whether ’t is nobler in the mind to sufferto sufferThe slings and arrows of The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,outrageous fortune,Or to take arms against a sea of Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,troubles,And by opposing end them? To And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep:die: to sleep:No more; and by a sleep to say No more; and by a sleep to say we endwe endThe heartache and the thousand The heartache and the thousand natural shocksnatural shocksThat flesh is heir to,—’t is a That flesh is heir to,—’t is a consummationconsummationDevoutly to be wish’d. To die, to Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep;sleep;To sleep: perchance to dream: To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there ’s the rub:ay, there ’s the rub:For in that sleep of death what For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,dreams may come,When we have shuffled off this When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,mortal coil,Must give us pause: there ’s the Must give us pause: there ’s the respectrespectThat makes calamity of so long That makes calamity of so long life;life;

For who would bear the whips and For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,scorns of time,The oppressor’s wrong, the proud The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,man’s contumely,The pangs of despised love, the law’s The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,delay,The insolence of office and the The insolence of office and the spurnsspurnsThat patient merit of the unworthy That patient merit of the unworthy takes,takes,When he himself might his quietus When he himself might his quietus makemakeWith a bare bodkin? who would With a bare bodkin? who would fardels fardels 13 bear, bear,To grunt and sweat under a weary To grunt and sweat under a weary life,life,But that the dread of something after But that the dread of something after death,death,The undiscover’d country from The undiscover’d country from whose bournwhose bournNo traveller returns, puzzles the willNo traveller returns, puzzles the willAnd makes us rather bear those ills And makes us rather bear those ills we havewe haveThan fly to others that we know not Than fly to others that we know not of?of?Thus conscience does make cowards Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;of us all;And thus the native hue of resolutionAnd thus the native hue of resolutionIs sicklied o’er with the pale cast of Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,thought,And enterprises of great pith and And enterprises of great pith and momentmomentWith this regard their currents turn With this regard their currents turn awry,awry,And lose the name of action.And lose the name of action.

TO BE OR NOT TO BETO BE OR NOT TO BE

Hamlet enters and Hamlet enters and pronounces his pronounces his famous monologue famous monologue ““To be or not to beTo be or not to be”. ”. “Whether’ t is “Whether’ t is nobler in the mind nobler in the mind to suffer the slings to suffer the slings and arrows of and arrows of outrageous fortune, outrageous fortune, or to take arms or to take arms against a sea of against a sea of troubles, and by troubles, and by opposing and opposing and them?”.them?”.

What does “to be” What does “to be” mean?mean?

In In Hamlet Hamlet death is death is seen as the end of aan seen as the end of aan unbearable lifeunbearable life, full of , full of hurt and humiliation. hurt and humiliation. Hamlet wonders , Hamlet wonders , reflects but he can’t reflects but he can’t find and answer. find and answer. Maybe he does not Maybe he does not search immediate search immediate answers but a answers but a peaceful peaceful lifelife in his surrondings. in his surrondings.

InIn Hamlet Hamlet peace is inner peace is inner peace.peace.The character looks for it The character looks for it be he cannot find it.be he cannot find it.Hamlet thinks over and Hamlet thinks over and over: he wants to kill his over: he wants to kill his mother’s husband but he mother’s husband but he hasn’t got the courage for hasn’t got the courage for such action.such action.He prefers to kill his He prefers to kill his thoughts that will continue thoughts that will continue to give him torture. to give him torture. So So the character won’t find the character won’t find the peace he dreams of.the peace he dreams of.

PEACE IS A NEVER-GRANTED CONDITION

WHEN NO PEACE IS WAR

THEYTHEYThe Bishop tells us: "when the boys come backThe Bishop tells us: "when the boys come backThey will not be the same; for they'll have foughtThey will not be the same; for they'll have fought In a just cause; they lead the last attackIn a just cause; they lead the last attack On Anti-Christ; their comrades' blood has bought.On Anti-Christ; their comrades' blood has bought. New right to breed an honourable race,New right to breed an honourable race, They have challenged death and dared him face to They have challenged death and dared him face to face"face"

"We're none of us the same" the boys reply."We're none of us the same" the boys reply. "For George lost both his legs; and Bill's stone blind"For George lost both his legs; and Bill's stone blind Poor Jim's shot through the lungs and like to diePoor Jim's shot through the lungs and like to die And Bert's gone syphilitic: you'll not findAnd Bert's gone syphilitic: you'll not find A chap who's served that hasn't found some change".A chap who's served that hasn't found some change". And the Bishop said: "The ways of God are strange!“And the Bishop said: "The ways of God are strange!“

S. SasoonS. Sasoon

In this poem there are three voices: the poet, In this poem there are three voices: the poet, the soldiers and the Bishop.the soldiers and the Bishop.“They” underlines the opposition between the “They” underlines the opposition between the point of view of the soldiers and the one of point of view of the soldiers and the one of Bishop.Bishop.In the poem there are both dialogue and In the poem there are both dialogue and narration. The Bishop uses dialogue and the narration. The Bishop uses dialogue and the boys use narration. boys use narration. The The Bishop has an ideal vision of the WarBishop has an ideal vision of the War because he speaks about “because he speaks about “a just causea just cause” and ” and ““honourable racehonourable race”.”. The point of view of The point of view of the boysthe boys is in opposition is in opposition to the Bishop’s one: they to the Bishop’s one: they condemn warcondemn war . . The Bishop uses a religious language to The Bishop uses a religious language to speak about the politics.speak about the politics.

“After such knowledge what forgivenessAfter such knowledge what forgiveness” T.S.Eliot

The boys favour peaceThe boys favour peace because “ you’ll not find a because “ you’ll not find a chap who’s served that hasn’t found some chap who’s served that hasn’t found some change”. change”.

The last line is ironicol and it recalls the Bishop’s The last line is ironicol and it recalls the Bishop’s first words. This line could be understood as a first words. This line could be understood as a parody by soldiers because God changes people parody by soldiers because God changes people who have fought.who have fought.

The poet uses The poet uses words like weaponswords like weapons; they promote ; they promote reflection about war and about the urgency of reflection about war and about the urgency of peace.peace.

PeacePeace is for the Youngthe Young and they who are In Touch With RealityIn Touch With Reality

WOMEN AND WARWOMEN AND WAR

GLORY OF WOMENGLORY OF WOMEN

You love us when we’re heroes, home on You love us when we’re heroes, home on leave, leave, Or wounded in a mentionable place, Or wounded in a mentionable place, You worship decorations; you believe You worship decorations; you believe That chivalry redeems the war disgrace. That chivalry redeems the war disgrace. You make us shells. You listen with delight, You make us shells. You listen with delight, By tales of dirt and danger fondly thrilled. By tales of dirt and danger fondly thrilled. You crown our distant ardours while we You crown our distant ardours while we fight, fight, And mourn our laurelled memories when And mourn our laurelled memories when we’re killed. we’re killed. You can’t believe the British troops ‘retire’ You can’t believe the British troops ‘retire’ When hell’s last horror breaks them, and When hell’s last horror breaks them, and they run, they run, Trampling the terrible corpses – blind with Trampling the terrible corpses – blind with blood. blood. O German mother dreaming by the fire, O German mother dreaming by the fire, While you are knitting socks to send your While you are knitting socks to send your son son His face is trodden deeper in the mud.His face is trodden deeper in the mud.

In the poem the speaking voice addresses women In the poem the speaking voice addresses women referring to them with the subject pronoun “referring to them with the subject pronoun “youyou”. ”. The The anaphoric constructionanaphoric construction of the first three stanzas of the first three stanzas sticks in the reader’s mind on the word as if it were sticks in the reader’s mind on the word as if it were a a warningwarning. . The reader gradually understands the voice speaking The reader gradually understands the voice speaking represents the point of view of soldiers . Their represents the point of view of soldiers . Their women women seem to have a distorted view of warseem to have a distorted view of war.. According to the speaking voice, According to the speaking voice, women see war as a women see war as a sort of heroism, where soldiers can get decorations, sort of heroism, where soldiers can get decorations, be consider heros or receive prizesbe consider heros or receive prizes. . In the sestet , on the contrary, In the sestet , on the contrary, a different visiona different vision of of the War is provided: the one the War is provided: the one those who reallythose who really fight in fight in war and see its horrors.war and see its horrors. “you can’t believe…” the speaking voice “you can’t believe…” the speaking voice illustrate the illustrate the imaginary visionimaginary vision women have of women have of war. war.

THEY versus “You”

REFLECTION PROMOTEDREFLECTION PROMOTED

The The message message that the that the poet wants poet wants to to communicacommunicate is that te is that the peace is the peace is not not guaranteedguaranteed:: to work for to work for it not to it not to fight for it is fight for it is our duty.our duty.

FUTILITYFUTILITY

FUTILITYFUTILITY Move him into the sun- Move him into the sun- Gently its touch awoke him Gently its touch awoke him

once, once, At home, whispering of fields At home, whispering of fields

unsown.unsown.Always it woke him, even in Always it woke him, even in

France, France, Until this morning and this snow. Until this morning and this snow. If anything might rouse him nowIf anything might rouse him nowThe kind old sun will know. The kind old sun will know. Think how it wakes the seeds-Think how it wakes the seeds-Woke once the clays of a cold Woke once the clays of a cold

star. star. Are limbs, so dear-achieved, are Are limbs, so dear-achieved, are

sidessidesFull-nerved, still warm, too hard Full-nerved, still warm, too hard

to stir? to stir? Was it for this the clay grew tall? Was it for this the clay grew tall? O what made fatuous sunbeams O what made fatuous sunbeams

toiltoilTo break earth's sleep at all?To break earth's sleep at all?

FutilityFutility can be considered something materialistic can be considered something materialistic and useless. and useless. I think “I think “futilityfutility” underlines ” underlines men’s vicesmen’s vices.. In the first stanza the key words “ In the first stanza the key words “gentlygently” and “” and “sunsun” ” are used by the poet to introduce the are used by the poet to introduce the theme of lovetheme of love. .

The positive aspect is that The positive aspect is that the sun is compared to a the sun is compared to a loving mother who wakes her son up and takes care loving mother who wakes her son up and takes care of himof him in a very gently and sweetly way. She is in a very gently and sweetly way. She is always present whether the boy is at home or always present whether the boy is at home or faraway.faraway. The tone becomes sad in the second stanza where The tone becomes sad in the second stanza where ““the clays of a cold starthe clays of a cold star” removes all warmth and ” removes all warmth and human love from the poem and introduces some human love from the poem and introduces some angry questionsangry questions in the third stanza which deals with in the third stanza which deals with death death and gives vent to and gives vent to the poet’s angerthe poet’s anger..Sun beans are seen in a negetive way now because Sun beans are seen in a negetive way now because they can’t transmit their warmth to the boy they can’t transmit their warmth to the boy anymoreanymore..

AN ORDINARY VISIONAN ORDINARY VISION

A POET ’S STATEMENTA POET ’S STATEMENT

This book is not about heroes. English Poetry is not yet fit to This book is not about heroes. English Poetry is not yet fit to

speak of them. Nor is it about deeds or lands, nor anything speak of them. Nor is it about deeds or lands, nor anything

about glory, honour,about glory, honour,

dominion or power,dominion or power,

except Warexcept War..

Above all, this book is not concerned with Poetry.Above all, this book is not concerned with Poetry.

The subject of it is WarThe subject of it is War, and the pity of War., and the pity of War.

The Poetry is in the pityThe Poetry is in the pity..

Yet these elegies are not to this generation,Yet these elegies are not to this generation,

This is in no sense consolatory.This is in no sense consolatory.

They may be to the next.They may be to the next.

All the poet can do to-day is to warn.All the poet can do to-day is to warn.

That is why the true Poets must be truthful.That is why the true Poets must be truthful.

The first important piece of information the text gives The first important piece of information the text gives the reader is that the reader is that poetry doesn’t mean to celebrate poetry doesn’t mean to celebrate heroesheroes. .

Poetry as a literary genre is not suitable to speak about Poetry as a literary genre is not suitable to speak about heroes.heroes.

The poet is conviced that poetry should not speak The poet is conviced that poetry should not speak about all those ideals that are generally connected to about all those ideals that are generally connected to war or better to a paternalistic and rhetoric vision of war or better to a paternalistic and rhetoric vision of War . War .

The reader immediately understands the contradiction The reader immediately understands the contradiction is made on purpose. As a matter of fact it’s seems as if is made on purpose. As a matter of fact it’s seems as if poetry could only speak about war.poetry could only speak about war.

The reader will also realize the words poetry and war The reader will also realize the words poetry and war are both capitalized as if they wanted to draw the are both capitalized as if they wanted to draw the reader’s attention. reader’s attention.

A PREFACE AS INTENTION DECLARATION

Further on, the poet states that is not Further on, the poet states that is not interested in poetry.interested in poetry.

This message is of course a This message is of course a parodyparody in the in the poet’s mouth therefore the reader should poet’s mouth therefore the reader should wonder why such words were chosen.wonder why such words were chosen.

The answer comes immediately afterwords The answer comes immediately afterwords when the poet says he is interested in when the poet says he is interested in discussing and speaking about discussing and speaking about war and pitywar and pity. .

““War” is one of the most frequent lexical War” is one of the most frequent lexical choices in the statement and therefore the choices in the statement and therefore the reader understands that the poet wants reader understands that the poet wants to to draw the attentiondraw the attention of the audience on the of the audience on the horrors of War.horrors of War.

The final message isThe final message is therefore therefore

““All the poet can do to-day is to warn.All the poet can do to-day is to warn.That is why the true Poets must be truthful.”That is why the true Poets must be truthful.”

WE WANT TO JOIN IN SUCH WARNINGWE WANT TO JOIN IN SUCH WARNING

A SUITABLE PROJECT CONCLUSIONA SUITABLE PROJECT CONCLUSION