The Wipers Times + POETRY

• Context


  The wipers times was repressed after the war as its satire would've made the deaths during ww1 seem futile and incompetent

  The intended audience for the newspaper was the front line as home front wouldn't understand
• The men behind the newspaper

  Captain Roberts-born in 1882, joined the 12th Battalion of the sherwood foresters, fought in battle of the loos and died in 1964

  Lieutenant Pearson- was Roberts' second in command and was the sub editor of the newspaper when him and Roberts found a printing press in the ruins of Ypres, fought in the battle of the somme and the battke of the loos, late into the war he set up "The foresters arms" (a makeshift pub to serve wounded soldiers), died in 1966

  Gilbert Frankau- born in 1884, a popular British novelist, who was educated at Eton college and joined the British army in 1914, he also fought in the battle of the loos and the somme
• Act 1 Scene 1- "Of course, of course. The war."- deputy editor


  Dismissive attitude- lack of compassion and understanding
• Act 1 Scene 1-"I'm sorry. You missed quite a show" roberts


  Sarcasm but alternatively the "show" was the comradeship and printing press journey with the soldiers

  Overview of the purpose of the wipers times
• Act 1 Scene 1- "well we had some good times too"- roberts


  Wants to challenge how the war is remembered- purpose of the wipers times
• Act 1 Scene 1- "though less useful in a newspaper office"- deputy editor


  Roberts' skills/identity after the war is futile
• Act 1 Scene 2- "isn't that looting sir?"- Pearson


  Danger of publishing the newspaper but it will provide a form of distraction from the war
• Act 1 Scene 3- stage directions - "sound of shells getting nearer and louder" "they have to shout above the noise"


  Constant reminder of war so audience don't get carried away with humour
• Act 1 Scene 3-"as senior officer I am of course the editor" roberts


  Assuming a role at war due to wealth and class
• Act 1 Scene 3- "men! Are you suffering from optimism?" Doctor in optimism sketch


  Scene critiques fresh optimism soldiers had at the beginning of the war that the front line would change

  "I'm sending you to the front line"-doctor

  "Thank you doctor!"- patient

  Ironic as war will hurt patient even more- incompetence of officers
• Act 1 Scene 3-"you don't think you are going a bit too far?" Pearson

  "How can you accuse me of going too far- when the entire 24th division has gone precisely ten yards in the last six months?"

  Roberts


  Jokes in the wipers times are too controversial fir officers

  Criticism of generals strategies at war
• Act 1 Scene 3- "TAXIS! TAXIS! TAXIS!" Stage direction


  Ads are created for a sense of familiarity for soldiers which is not understood by home front
• Act 1 Scene 3-"in which we work and play" "jolly little crump" song at the end of scene sung by men

  Rhyming- propaganda/ a song for men to March to, pro-war attitude to disguise horrors of war
• Act 1 Scene 4- "empty print room. We can hear shells going off" stage directions at beginning of scene


  Stark contrast to jovial scene prior

  Normality at war- constant destruction
• Act 1 Scene 4- stage directions at beginning of scene when men are assembling the press to get it working

  "They know their roles"

  "The process is repeated"


  Process is reminiscent of training soldiers
• Act 1 Scene 5- stage directions "Howfield slams the wipers times down on the desk"


  Satirical comment on discipline at war, the wipers times was created to comfort soldiers
• Act 1 Scene 5- "well I'd say they're doing their bit"- Mitford

  "Ladies if the Poperinghe fancies"- Mitford


  Escapism with prostitutes at war, prostitution helped with the war effort- link to absence of women at the front line
• Act 1 Scene 5- "saluting our fallen comrades is hardly sedition is it?" Mitford

  "It's a joke"- Mitford


  Defending the wipers times, father figure in contrast to Mitford who displays a stereotypical general at war- "the war is not funny sir", and finds the newspaper a disgrace
• Act 1 Scene 5- "unpatriotic rag" Howfield


  Backlash of wipers times, dirty and used, link to class divide at war
• Act 1 Contrast from end of scene 5 to beginning of scene 6


  Scene 6 is set in a trench to exemplify the resilience of soldiers that generals don't see, also highlights need for the newspaper and escapism
• Act 1 Scene 6- stage directions "a trench" "foul conditions"


  First scene that is set in a trench, a reminder of the reality of war
• Act 1 Scene 6- stage directions "They laugh" "They get to work"


  Resilience of soldiers and shows the normality and familiarity of the privates in contrast to generals
• Act 1 Scene 6- Roberts "if only it were like mud"


  He wishes ideas for poetry were like mud- everywhere
• Act 1 Scene 6- Roberts "That's why I would rather think about the paper. It's important to me because... it is not important"


  Escapism
• Act 1 Scene 6- stage directions "It is melodic and appears uplifting"


  Germans are close by and sing an anti-England song- they are more like the British, they humanise the enemy
• Act 1 Scene 6- anti-England hymn- "Hate by the water and hate by land" "we love as one, we hate as one"


  Ernst Lissauer's hymn of hate- taught to children in Roman Catholic schools in Germany link to "An Irish Airman foresees his death"

  Example of anti-British propaganda shows alternative opinions on war
• Act 1 Scene 7- MC- "Mrs mini werfer"


  German name for a weapon used excessively in WW1
• Act 1 Scene 7- Sapper Brother's duet-"I heard the bugles calling"

  "And join up I felt I must"


  Overly exaggerated patriotism conveys satire

  Reminiscent of poems "Peace" and "England to her sons"
• Act 1 Scene 7- Kate sings "Do you remember dearest"

  "Blue,blue sky"

  "Ah! Sweet was the old refrain"


  Solemn and bittersweet- reminiscent of life pre-war and dramatic contrast to satire in play

  "Sweet"- dulce dt decorum est
• Act 1 Scene 8- "has my wife been raising money for noble causes such as providing warm woollens for war worn walloons?" Roberts


  Sarcasm towards home fronts lack of efforts

  Alliteration to belittle their attempts to help
• Act 1 Scene 8- stage direction "we see Kate roberts in spotlight"


  Emphasises disconnect- she seems like a fantasy

  Highlights how the home front is merely present and and only present through letters
• Act 1 Scene 8- "because it's nothing compared with what you must be enduring" Kate


  Contrast to typical home front letters, Kate is loving and honest
• Act 1 Scene 8- "Lieutenant Colonel Hector Alexander Horatio Howfield" Roberts


  Mocking higher class generals and stupidity of their long names with is supposed to give them respect
• Act 1 Scene 8 stage directions "Howfield and Bobby exit" "we hear artillery fire beginning- BIG NOISE"


  As soon as officers and generals leave the explosives begin- officers are always safe from danger
• Act 1 Scene 8- "I've tried throughout this war to maintain my sense of humour but now I am really unamused" Roberts


  The printing press has been destroyed like their small source of enjoyment and healthy escapism

  Roberts feels like he had failed his comrades
• Act 1 Scene 9- stage directions "metal from the printer to shore up a trench"


  Desperation in war, escapism is temporary
• Act 1 scene 9- Henderson "what did you do before you joined up?"


  Link to birdsong- Jack as a underground worker pre-war

  Provides a sense of normality for the men, normal jobs and lives pre-war and a sense of individualism
• Act 1 Scene 9- Roberts and Pearson discussing winston Churchill

  "Somewhat eccentric" "bit of a personality"


  Dramatic irony as Churchill leads soldiers to victory in ww2 yet they mock him now

  Another war will happen
• Act 1 scene 10- song performed by trench and foot, stage directions "stage fills with yellow gas"

  Voice off "Gas! Gas! Gas!"

  Dulce et decorum est
• Act 1 scene 11 skit on "why we are going to win the war"-stage directions Belary Helloc "he writes all these figures on the blackboard as a mathematical sum"


  Emphasis on stupid and confusing propaganda that was not understood