• University of Leeds

WW1 Heroism: Through Art and Film

Discover just some of the ways that heroism and the First World War is portrayed through art and film.

36,483 enrolled on this course

WW1 Heroism: Through Art and Film

36,483 enrolled on this course

  • 2 weeks

  • 2 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

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The centenary of the First World War is a time for reflection and exploration. In this short course you will discover just some of the ways that heroism is portrayed through art and film.

You will explore recruitment posters and the messages they portrayed for both those going to war and those staying at home, as well as researching WW1 art and reflecting upon a painting you have chosen. You will then move on to explore contemporary German film, consolidating your learning by reviewing a recent book, film, or TV programme about the First World War.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 7 seconds If you are interested in history, the recent centenary commemorations of World War I won’t have passed you by. We have all seen images and heard stories of those on the front line, as well as learning about those left to manage at home.

Skip to 0 minutes and 24 seconds Through videos, activities, and quizzes, this course will look at just some of the ways in which art and film have been used to tell these stories. We start by exploring recruitment posters, and consider how the words and images changed as the war progressed. We look at war art, and you have the opportunity to curate your own online exhibition. In the second week, we move on to look at film– specifically, contemporary German film. And you are encouraged to review a film, book, or TV programme. Along the way, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to research and discuss topics with learners from around the world.

Skip to 1 minute and 5 seconds Sign up now to World War I Heroism: Through Art and Film.

What topics will you cover?

  • Analysis of recruitment posters and the messages they portrayed for both those going to war and those staying at home
  • Researching posters: use of words and images to invoke emotions about heroism
  • World War 1: how ideas about heroism changed from 1914 onwards
  • Heroism and film: exploring the differences between current images of World War 1 heroes in Germany, France, and Britain
  • Film reviews: contrasting ways in which the meaning of World War 1 is constructed and debated in Germany today

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Reflect on how the First World War affected the heroic ideals of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
  • Assess WW1 posters and interpret the message that each poster would have given to those signing up during the war years.
  • Explore art from WW1 and discuss thoughts with other students.
  • Curate an exhibition of paintings of WW1 heroes and heroines to help reflect on the way ideas about heroism has changed from 1914 onward.
  • Explore how heroism is represented in post-WW2 German culture.
  • Discuss how WW1 and heroism are represented in films produced or co-produced in Germany in the last few years.
  • Evaluate a film, book or TV programme which focuses on the men and women who lived through WW1 and consider how they are portrayed in contemporary culture.
  • Research and discuss thoughts with fellow learners.

Who is the course for?

This course is part of the Going to University collection which has been specifically designed for students at schools and colleges. They provide a taster of undergraduate study at the University of Leeds and help students to decide which subject to study at university.

Completion of the courses will also enhance students’ university applications.

The courses can also be used as a teachers’ classroom enrichment resource.

Courses in this collection are also great for people that want an introduction in the specific subjects discussed in each course.

Who will you learn with?

A Professor of French Cultural History, my research focuses on French and British women and WW1. I lead a WW1 Centenary project called Legacies of War: arts.leeds.ac.uk/legaciesofwar

Who developed the course?

University of Leeds

As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$109/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 2 Apr 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

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