Women, heroism and World War 1

Hobbs examines how the expanded activities of women in the First World War and their public reception impact on the philosophy of heroism, arguing that whom and what a society regards as heroic tells us much about that society’s values, including its perception of women. After an initial definition of heroism classically conceived, she considers the various ways in which women could relate to heroism prior to 1914 and explores how the conflict opened up new spheres of female agency, and how those opportunities were viewed by women and men, both during and after the war. She goes on to ask whether the extraordinary conditions of the First World War might require a philosophical reappraisal of the very nature of heroism, and suggests that the wartime roles of women in particular urge such a rethinking.