In this episode of pplpod, we explore the rich and tragic history of war poetry, a literary genre that encompasses works written about conflict by both combatants and noncombatants. We begin by tracing the origins of military literature back to the 8th century BC with Homer's epic, the Iliad, which details the legendary Greek siege of Troy. The discussion then journeys through history, touching on the American Civil War and Walt Whitman's experiences as an army nurse, as well as the famous 19th-century Crimean War poem, "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. We then take a deep dive into the massive turning point brought about by World War I, where the unprecedented horrors of mechanized warfare traumatized the European imagination and shattered classic traditions of individual heroism and military glory. Listeners w ...