British Masculinity and Propaganda during the First World War

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to address how the issue of masculinity functioned in British propaganda during the First World War, and how it affected individuals. Propaganda relied on prewar conceptions of masculinity to appeal to audiences for reasons such as enlistment or continued support for the war. Propaganda often amplified these conceptions of prewar masculinity, and men would internalize propaganda’s message. The British state, however, did not create propaganda uniformly, and there existed major differences between the goals of propaganda posters and propaganda films. It will be demonstrated that posters and film addressed separate issues despite reaching similar audiences, and that posters were more successful at affecting men’s sense of masculinity. Through showing how propaganda posters resonated with individuals, this paper highlights and reassesses the impact the propaganda poster had on contemporary British audiences.