J.M. Barrie's Wartime Plays — Echoes of the War

Echoes of the War

J.M. Barrie

Leopold Classic Library, 2016 

Playbill from an Off-Broadway Production

Originally published in 1918, this collection of four short plays,  from the pen of J. M. Barrie, the beloved author of Peter Pan, is set against the backdrop of World War I and captures the emotional depth and human spirit of those enduring the trials of war. Each story delves into the lives of ordinary people, their hopes, fears, and unwavering resilience amidst the chaos.

• The Old Lady Shows Her Medals: Follow the touching journey of Mrs. Dowey, an elderly charwoman who invents a son fighting at the front to gain respect among her peers, but, then, the imaginary son becomes a reality. 

• The New Word: Explore the strained yet tender relationship between a father and his son as they grapple with the impending separation due to the son's enlistment. 

• Barbara’s Wedding: Witness the story of Barbara, whose marriage is shaped by the shadow of war.  

• A Well-Remembered Voice: A mother hears the voice of her deceased son. 

Critic Jenna Kubly nicely summarized the unifying qualities of the four pieces:

A reading of these four one-acts reveals a narrative of wartime Britain: the collection begins with one family sending their son off to war and ends with another family that must come to terms with loss and an awareness of changing times. Each play deals with a different family, but collectively they suggest an “Every Family,” peopled not with unbelievable heroes and heroines (as was often typical of drama depicting war), but more realistic characters, neither perfect nor immortal. Barrie’s wartime drama, often considered quaint and sentimental, has largely been ignored by scholars, but a reconsideration demonstrates that his works are of critical merit, insightfully depicting aspects of the British experience of the Great War. . .

Without resorting to the formulaic plots that so many other wartime plays followed, Barrie’s plays supported the British cause. Without being truly unpatriotic, his dramas did not deny the humanity of the enemy and contained moments of subtle doubt. His dramas explored the shifting attitudes of Britain to the war, emphasizing recurring themes of sacrifice, patriotism, and the breakdown of class structure. . . The reactions to the war that Barrie portrayed ranged from distrust of the Germans to realism about the war and its effects on families, from determination that the war must continue at all costs to a nostalgic looking back to pre-war Europe with a desire that things could have remained unchanged.

 

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Sources: Publisher provided information; Jenna Kubly's comments are from Humor, Entertainment, and Popular Culture during World War.