"In Literature and Song: The Legacy of the Napoleonic Wars" Topic

"The Napoleonic Wars had a profound effect on British culture of the early nineteenth century. Military memoirs carried vivid, personalised accounts of battle, while ballads, cartoons and dramas reflected patriotic fervour on street corners and stages throughout the country. Barely a single literary figure of this period was untouched by the events on the battlefield, with many of our most prolific writers being influenced significantly by the crusade against Napoleon. The stage during this period was also saturated with patriotism and hero-worship; musical tributes to heroes such as Lord Nelson achieved great popularity, and audiences flocked in their thousands to see ambitious re-creations of battles like Trafalgar and Waterloo. Napoleon's defeat in 1815 did not signal the end of his influence; the events of the Napoleonic Wars continued to impact British culture for the duration of the century.

The influence of the world's first total war is felt through the bountiful remnants of literature that survive from this period. We might talk of the glitz and glamour that the military brought to everyday society. Jane Austen's writings, most notably Pride and Prejudice, identified the soldier as a fashionable, sexual being, who enlivened everyday society and enticed young girls into sin. From another angle, writers such as Sir Walter Scott were less concerned with social effects and more attracted to battlefields. Some of his most famous works indirectly addressed the contemporary conflict by focussing on Britain's rebellious past, most notably through clan warfare. He introduced the reading public to first-hand combat; his protagonists were thrown into the midst of war and bloodshed, allowing the nation to envisage the chaos and terror of battle within their own homes…"
Main page
link

Amicalement
Armand

No mention of Abba?

Ha!Ha!….

Amicalement
Armand

One for the media board, surely Tango?