Western Masculinities in War and Peace

Republics at War, 1776–1840

“…This 'Roman death' boldly 'denied the legitimacy of English government in Ireland', and by 'choosing the republican way of death' Tone became a martyr of liberty, 'a characteristic product of the age of revolution'. 65 One of the great ironies of Tone's legend is that he had visited the Pantheon in Paris with a genial aristocrat who had returned from exile to serve in the Republic's navy. Deeply moved, he thought: 'Certainly nothing can be imagined more likely to create a great spirit in a nation than a repository of this kind, sacred to everything that is sublime and illustrious and patriotic .…”

“…64 The argument is not a new one, for one recent interpretation has explored how the group of Cordeliers showed great interest in classical republicanism and how the English example of the seventeenth century was a sure point of reference for wide sectors of French Jacobinism. 65 The interventions against the war, however, suggest some doubt about the depth of awareness and consequently about the completeness of the ideological context in which similar references took shape. It is astonishing to think, in fact, that, as far as Desmoulins was concerned, his knowledge of the English Revolution was based fundamentally on his reading of the work of Paul de Rapin de Thoyras, the French Huguenot who had escaped to England and whose writings were much appreciated by Hume.…”

“…What kind of relationship could exist between a republic whose ideological foundations challenged the basic principles of the social and international order, and the monarchical states that had chosen the defence of those very same principles as their battle cry? Was the domestic stability hoped for by the architects of the constitution of the Year III compatible with the continuation of the 65 war, or was a general peace needed as quickly as possible in order to 'end the Revolution' and establish the 'republic of proprietors'? These were the central questions of the political debate over war and peace in the Year IV.…”

The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel and Static Pop Culture Ideas on Male Gender

“…Having been selected as a medic during Vietnam, Rabe confronted first hand the trappings of traditional male gender roles within the culture of the Army: "The indispensable masculine qualities of the combat soldier have altered little over the long run of modern history: personal courage, the willingness to sacrifice for comrades, the fear of shame or dishonor." 17 In his assigned role as an Army medic, due to the "after-battle" nature of the work, Rabe faced difficulty in fulfilling the requirements for courage and sacrifice. Instead it is evident through Pavlo's fictional experiences, based loosely on Rabe, that Rabe instead developed shame for the secondary nature of his work.…”

“…His understanding of masculinity is based largely on a steady diet from his mother of "soldiers of fortune, and film re-creations of war heroism, frontiersmen and cowboys, or rebellious youth." 20 Handfed these stoic representations, Pavlo learned manly conduct vicariously through them. After returning to the States, Rabe fought himself to understand and place his stint in Vietnam in relation to such unrealistic figures, which helped inform his "male sex role.…”