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Ailin Vilches Arguello

Professor Bette London

ENGL 238 - The Great War Revisited

23 February 2024

Navigating Gendered Trauma during the Great War

In Testament of Youth, Vera Brittain explores the profound trauma of separation

experienced by women during and before World War I, shedding light on the rigid gender roles

that permeated this era. The separation between men’s and women’s wartime experiences not

only underscored the disparities in their roles, but also established a hierarchical structure that

systematically undermined women’s contributions to the war effort. Throughout this book,

Brittain’s narrative skillfully navigates her personal struggles of being separated from men in her

life, initially due to her inability to share their same experiences, and later through the losses

suffered as a result of the war, emphasizing the enduring impact of gendered trauma on women’s

societal status.

Brittain vividly portrays the Great War’s role as a profound divider, establishing a stark

distinction between her generation and those that preceded and followed it. In this sense, this

divide not only stands as a barrier between them, but also fosters a profound inability to

comprehend each other’s wartime experiences. As she eloquently states, “[t]hose who are old

and think this War so terrible do not know what it means to us who are young [...]. When I think

how suddenly, instantly, a chance bullet may put an end to that brilliant life, may cut it off in its

youth and mighty promise, faith in the ‘increasing purpose’ of the ages grows dim” (p. 142).

This excerpt highlights the tension stemming from distinct experiences and perspectives within

each age group. On the one hand, older generations regarded the War as a terrible event, yet they
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also esteemed the sacrifices made during the conflict as honorable and heroic. In this context,

Brittain underscores the profound suffering endured by her contemporaries during the war,

emphasizing the extent to which their experiences remain incomprehensible to others. This

aspect is further evident in one of her reflections after the end of the War: “[...] the older

generation held up outraged hands in horror at such sacrilege, not understanding that reckless

sense of combined release and anti-climax which set my contemporaries, who had lived a

lifetime of love and toil and suffering and yet were only in their early twenties, dancing in the

vain hope of recapturing the lost youth that the War had stolen” (p. 469). The notion of “lost

youth” encapsulates a profound suffering that is incompatible with any other generation that did

not endure the same experiences, rendering their trauma incomprehensible to those who did not

share their journey. Conversely, successive generations, entrenched in anti-war sentiments,

regarded their predecessors’ commitment to the war effort as sheer folly. In this way, Brittain

also draws attention to the “[m]any possibilities of acute misunderstanding which embittered the

relations of the War generation and its immediate juniors - a type of misunderstanding that is

perhaps inevitable whenever one group has been through some profound experience which

another has missed” (p. 488).

Simultaneously, the Great War also instilled internal tensions within her contemporaries.

Reinforcing the existing social and cultural gender divisions, the distinct wartime experiences of

men and women not only set them apart, but also erected barriers between them. In this regard,

Brittain’s memoir adeptly illuminates these gender tensions:

[...] as the end of the fighting moved ever further into an incalculable future, a new fear

that the War would come between us - as indeed, with time, the War always did, putting a

barrier of indescribable experience between men and the women whom they loved,
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thrusting horror deeper and deeper inward, linking the dread of spiritual death to the

apprehension of physical disaster. Quite early I realised the possibility of a permanent

impediment to understanding (p. 143).

This quote illustrates the growing apprehension that the enduring effects of the war will

create a profound break in their relationships. As they undergo a profound transformation,

sometimes not being able to recognize each other nor themselves, mutual understanding becomes

ever more impossible. At this point, Brittain and Roland’s love story serves as a prime example.

As the narrative unfolds, the trauma of separation that Brittain endures in their relationship is not

solely attributed to Roland’s enlistment in the army or, even, his eventual death; instead, the

barriers they are unable to overcome extend far beyond the physical realm. As she articulates,

The War, I began to feel, was dividing us as I had so long feared that it would, making the

real values seem unreal, and causing the qualities which mattered most to appear

unimportant. Was it, I wondered, because Roland had lost interest in me that this anguish

of drifting apart had begun - or was the explanation to be found in that terrible barrier of

knowledge by which War cut off the men who possessed it from the women who, in spite

of the love that they gave and received, remained in ignorance? (p. 215).

Through these words, she reveals an awareness that the war has altered the values once

held not only by Roland but likely by herself as well. What’s more, in expressing that one of

Roland’s letters placed her “outside everything that now counted” (p. 104), she distinctly shows

that the values deemed significant in war, or what is now most important, markedly differ from

what held importance before it. Even though she enlisted in the war as a VAD, the war’s

pervasive and intensified gender divisions proved insurmountable. Hence, the inflexible gender

roles of this era engendered a profound trauma of separation for women, not solely in the
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physical losses of dear relationships, but also in their incapacity to share and comprehend one

another’s experiences. This divide extended even among women who did not undergo the same

wartime challenges. As she states, “[o]nly gradually did I realise that the War had condemned me

to live to the end of my days in a world without confidence or security, a world in which every

dear personal relationship would be fearfully cherished under the shadow of apprehension; in

which love would seem threatened perpetually by death [...]” (p. 470). This reflection

demonstrates her comprehension of the profound impact of war experiences on personal

relationships and the daunting challenge of connecting with others again. Moreover, it reveals

her trauma following the loss of numerous relationships, thereby emphasizing the arduous and

isolating experience for women. It underscores the distinctive nature of women’s suffering.

Therefore, women’s inability to undertake the same responsibilities as men at the front

also meant they did not undergo the same type of trauma. On the one hand, men experienced

trauma associated with the constant threat of death and injury, as well as the harsh and unsanitary

living conditions within the trenches. In stark contrast, women’s trauma was considerably less

likely to involve such direct physical threats. For instance, Brittain’s role as a nurse involved

taking care of soldiers after the battle, addressing wounds caused by combat but without direct

exposure to the dangers of the front lines. Consequently, the higher valuation of men’s

experiences over women’s stems, in part, from the direct engagement with the most dangerous

aspects of war and the associated elevated risks.

However, throughout this narrative, Brittain emphasizes that women fought their own

personal wars at home, while also contributing to the broader war effort. What’s more, most of

the time, they grappled with their traumas in isolation. Thus, she argues that their suffering is no

less real, and their contributions are equally valuable as those of men. This way, her memoir
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aims to unveil the unspoken trauma and suffering, while shedding light on the overlooked

contributions of women during this period. As she states, “[...] I was suffering, like so many

women in 1914, from an inferiority complex” (p. 104). This passage highlights the struggle of

women to overcome the perpetual secondary role to men and their persistent efforts to dismantle

social barriers hindering their progress, despite the fact that “the War [and] its effect on the

women’s cause was quite dismaying” (p. 104). This can be further evidenced when she explains

to her dad why she enlisted as a VAD for the war: “[...] I wanted to prove I could more or less

keep myself by working, and partly because, not being a man and able to go to the front, I

wanted to do the next best thing. I do not agree that my place is at home doing nothing or

practically nothing, for I consider that the place now of anyone who is young and strong and

capable is where the work that is needed is to be done” (p. 213 - 214).

In addition to bearing witness to women’s significant contributions to the war, Brittain’s

narrative delves into the distinct elements that render women’s wartime experiences traumatic

and set them apart from men’s. Women’s suffering is multifaceted and heavily contingent on

their individual experiences. In one respect, women grapple with the agony of waiting, the

pervasive uncertainty, and their inability to take action for those they love. Every moment

becomes an agonizing wait for news that could signal the end of a cherished relationship and the

loss of a loved one. Furthermore, they had to navigate the complexities of these long-distance

relationships, entwined with all the uncertainty and idealism they held. As Brittain brings to

attention, “[...] the final and acute question of loyalty to the dead; of how far I and the other

women of my generation who deliberately accepted a new series of emotional relationships

thereby destroyed yet again the men who had once uncomplainingly died for them in the flesh”

(p. 655). This passage illustrates the distinct nature of their suffering, trauma, and anxiety for
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those they loved. Coupled with their ignorance and inability to share the same experiences, their

faith and hope are drained each day by the prolonged wait or the loss of another relationship.

On the other hand, women who actively participated in the war and encountered

additional experiences also faced distinct challenges. Brittain elucidates these challenges as “[...]

the violent clash between family and profession, between “duty” and ambition, between

conscience and achievement [...]” (p. 422). She states, “[w]hat exhaust women in wartime is not

the strenuous and unfamiliar tasks that fall upon them, nor even the hourly dread of death for

husbands or lovers or brothers or sons; it is the incessant conflict between personal and national

claims which wears out their energy and breaks their spirit” (p. 422 - 423). By shedding light on

this overlooked aspect of the war, Brittain gives voice to women’s experiences, highlighting the

differences in their trauma and suffering compared to men. She underscores the unique

expectations and social conventions they had to navigate.

Additionally, this overlooked narrative of the war also brings the question: Did the war,

instead of creating new opportunities for women as often argued, ultimately reinforce - possibly

even amplify - the gendered hierarchies that hindered their progress? While it did open up job

opportunities for some women, enabling them to fill roles previously reserved for men,

paradoxically, for Brittain, the war closed off many of her own opportunities, such as attending

Oxford. It pushed her into a more traditional feminine role (nurse), despite her efforts to

challenge societal expectations and break down cultural barriers. Yet, in retrospect, Brittain

seems to imply that the war eventually contributed, to some extent, to improved access and

advancement for women. As she states, “[...] the future of women, like the future of peace, could

be influenced by individual decisions in a way that had never seemed possible when all

individuality was quenched and drowned in the dark tide of the War” (p. 654). This passage
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suggests that, at least after the war, women had better opportunities to advocate for their cause,

efforts that may have gone unnoticed during the war itself.

In conclusion, Brittain’s poignant narrative goes beyond a mere recollection; it stands as a

testament to the profound losses suffered during the war. As she states, “[f]or me, as for all the

world, the War was a tragedy and a vast stupidity, a waste of youth and of time; it betrayed my

faith, mocked my love, and irremediably spoilt my career [...]” (p. 290). This passage vividly

captures the intricate nature of the losses depicted in the story, encompassing both the physical

toll of lives lost and the social toll on an entire generation. She explains the profound innocence

of her generation, stating,

The causes of war are always falsely represented; its honour is dishonest and its glory

meretricious, but the challenge to spiritual endurance, the intense sharpening of all the

senses, the vitalising consciousness of common peril for a common end, remain to allure

those boys and girls who have just reached the age when love and friendship and

adventure call more persistently than at any later time” (p. 291 - 292).

This excerpt underscores how the war thrust Brittain’s generation prematurely into adult

life, stripping away countless experiences, as well as all of their hopes and dreams. She said “[...]

ruin, cruelty, injustice, destruction - is what they fought and died for [...]. All that expenditure of

noble emotion, that laying down of life and youth, of hope and achievement and paternity [...]”

(p. 644). Through her memoir, Brittain memorializes the sacrifices of her generation, offering a

poignant focus on the historically undermined role of women within the war and their enduring

suffering and trauma.

In this way, her story is, at least in part, an effort to challenge the hierarchy that insists

that men’s experience and men’s trauma is more significant. Her memoir serves as an act of
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valuing and giving witness to women’s contributions to the war effort as both civilians and

auxiliary war workers. As she states, “Sir Douglas Haig [...] expressing his gratitude to ‘all ranks

of the Army and the non-combatant and auxiliary services,’ had actually included ‘the many

thousands of women who by devoted work in so many capacities have assisted in the victory of

our arms’ (p. 468).” Through this attempt to articulate her trauma, she is reclaiming the

“unclaimed” experience of women. This testament memorializes women’s role and their

contribution, ensuring they are never forgotten.

Works Cited

Brittain, Vera. Testament of Youth. Penguin Books, 2005.