19. Queer Poetry in the Not-So-Great War: Siegfried Sassoon

We’ve got a special episode for you this time, gayvenclaws! Gretchen is taking care of a family medical emergency, so join Leigh and special guest Hayden Smith as they discuss the famous WWI soldier Siegfried Sassoon. A writer, poet, and novelist known for his anti-jingoist, anti-war poetry, Sassoon was willing to showcase the horrors of the trenches for foot soldiers. It’s a tale of love, loss, grief, anger, and healing as we dig into this fascinating fellow and his prolific poetry!

Outline

0:00 – Introduction
4:43 – Main Topic: Anti-War Poet Siegfried Sassoon
6:31 – Socio-Historical Context: the United Kingdom, 1900-1930
16:51 – Socio-Historical Context: WWI and Homosexuality
20:17 – Socio-Historical Context: Changing Masculinity
29:51 – Who were they? Bio Time.
46:46 – Why do we think they're gay?
1:15:37 – Pop Culture Tie-In
1:16:51 – How Gay were They?
1:21:28 – Closing and Where to Find us Online

You can find guest host Hayden Smith’s work online on his blog, SealedInInk.com, or check him out on instagram at afterthewaves!

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