The Edinburgh Companion to the First World War and the Arts

A new exploration of literary and artistic responses to WW1 from 1914 to the present

This authoritative reference work examines literary and artistic responses to the war’s upheavals across a wide range of media and genres, from poetry to pamphlets, sculpture to television documentary, and requiems to war reporting. Rather than looking at particular forms of artistic expression in isolation and focusing only on the war and inter-war period, the 26 essays collected in this volume approach artistic responses to the war from a wide variety of angles and, where appropriate, pursue their inquiry into the present day. In 6 sections, covering Literature, the Visual Arts, Music, Periodicals and Journalism, Film and Broadcasting, and Publishing and Material Culture, a wide range of original chapters from experts across literature and the arts examine what means and approaches were employed to respond to the shock of war as well as asking such key questions as how and why literary and artistic responses to the war have changed over time, and how far later works of art are responses not only to the war itself, but to earlier cultural production.

Key Features

Offers new insights into the breadth and depth of artistic responses to WWI Establishes links and parallels across a wide range of different media and genres Emphasises the development of responses in different fields from 1914 to the present Illustrated with 36 b&w and 16 colour illustrations