The Theme of War in English Literature

Abstract

This article explores the representation of war in English literature during the twentieth century, focusing on the First and Second World Wars. It examines how British writers transformed the theme of war from patriotic heroism into a profound moral and psychological experience. Through the poetry of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, and the prose of Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway (as an influence), Graham Greene, and Evelyn Waugh, the study highlights how war reshaped the modern literary imagination. The analysis demonstrates that English literature of both wars evolved from depicting external events to probing the inner trauma, disillusionment, and ethical dilemmas of the human spirit.