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Review

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Compelling arguments about masculine identity formationBy Andrew ByersGraham Dawson sets out to explore the theme of idealized / imagined masculinity embodied in the archetype of soldier hero within Western cultural traditions. Heroic soldiers have for centuries been central to the British national identity. In the mid- and late-nineteenth century; though; the heroic masculinity of soldiers became inextricably linked with the rise of British imperialism; patriotism; manly virtues; and the idea of war as a test and an opportunity to demonstrate manliness. Dawson spends a considerable amount of time discussing how war stories; images; and play influence the fantasies of boys; giving them a means to imaginatively develop their own masculinity. Dawson first establishes a language and conceptual framework for his investigation of the imagining of masculinity; then he describes three case studies in great detail: Sir Henry Havelock; prototypical Victorian soldier who led the Relief of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny-Rebellion in 1857; T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia"); early twentieth century soldier and adventurer; and the authors own childhood experiences and imaginings of masculinity. Lastly; Dawson examines how the narratives of soldier heroes are used and work upon their public audiences to become integrated into the public conception of masculine identity.Methodologically; Dawson primarily employs textual analysis of influential narratives; but he also draws strongly upon cultural history and psychoanalysis. Dawson employs Kleinian and Freudian psycholanalytical tools to examine how fantasy and gender imaginings help form ideas of masculinity in boys and young men and to create the conceptual framework in which to place the historical adventure narratives and soldier heroes he develops throughout the rest of the book. This technique highlights both the opportunity and danger of employing fairly advanced psychoanalytical approaches for historians - on the one hand; this can offer a richness that more traditional historical analysis cannot; on the other hand; it can create an analysis that is well outside the area of expertise and "comfort zone" of many readers.Dawsons first major case study is that of Sir Henry Havelock; who led British forces in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Unlike previous Napoleonic soldier heroes; Havelocks heroic persona came to have religious and even racial overtones; with Havelock portrayed as a Christian soldier who avenged wrongs perpetrated by perceived racial inferiors. Newspaper reportage during the period portrayed Havelock as savior of an imperiled British empire; with his campaign taking on all the standard tropes of heroic adventure tales. A considerable body of what can only be described as hagiography developed surrounding Havelocks life; where he was cast as a "soldier-saint" who provided a stern moral example for the plebian and working class public. A renaissance in the publishing of heroic adventure tales and Lord Baden-Powells Scouting movement were natural results. Havelock was ultimately to become the prototype for later soldier heroes; as well as the first constructed media star; as Dawson states; "Havelocks death made the perfect end to the story - and ensured that his image would live on."Dawsons second major case study is the media savvy and image conscious Colonel T. E. Lawrence; who assisted in fostering an Arab rebellion against Ottoman rule during World War I. He remains an enduring character of military manhood in various media to the present; despite some of his purportedly "feminine" characteristics and allegedly ambivalent or transgressive sexuality. Despite Lawrences heroic quest to free the Arabian Peninsula from Ottoman rule; the non-traditional and secular Lawrence is obviously a very different sort of heroic military figure than the ultra-masculine; religious Havelock. In many ways; Lawrence represents a modernist anti-hero; who personally struggles with internal and external crises without the comfort of religion (a significant divergence from Havelock). Dawson presents the Havelock and Lawrence stories at length; describing in great detail how the two became popularized in the media. He does not; however; go into significant detail on the extent to which the imagined constructs of masculinity in boys or men at the time were actually influenced and altered by the narratives. He is able to make a case that the media (and government) attempted to use the stories to influence the conception of masculinity; but he is largely unable to describe the extent to which they succeeded.Dawsons final case study is that of his own boyhood. He traces the appeal of toy soldiers; weapons; uniforms; military adventure stories; etc. to young boys who are seeking to define their own masculinity. These elements of play and narrative offer boys a kind of "omnipotent wish fulfillment" that is obviously appealing because they help boys conquer their fears; uncertainties; doubts; subordination; and quest for recognition from authority figures. These qualities help account for the persistence of what Dawson calls the "war-pleasure culture for boys." One wonders; though; about the ability to generalize about the establishment of masculine identities through the examination of a single childhood - the authors. While obviously a cathartic experience for Dawson; the reader cannot help but wonder how truly unbiased an author can be while psychoanalyzing his own childhood experiences. Dawson also seems to presuppose a certain universal appeal of the "war-pleasure culture" among British boys; though this is unlikely to be the case. He does not substantially discuss the appeal of other popular; non-militarized toys; such as chemistry sets; building blocks; and toy trucks and trains. What types of imagined masculine identities might boys primarily interested in these types of toys and games have constructed (unlike the authors preferred toy soldiers; weapons; and uniforms)?Dawson makes a strong argument early on in the book that the British nation itself became an engendered entity during the Victorian era; continuing on into the Edwardian era; with hegemony linked with masculinity and the differences between the sexes. However; he does not spend any time exploring the dichotomy of a "masculine" Britain being ruled throughout the period by a woman: Queen Victoria. In a sense; the British monarch embodies the nation and I would have liked to see Dawson explore the inherent contradiction in having a "masculine" political entity governed by a female. Dawson does spend a few pages discussing masculine military prowess as part of the national character during Margaret Thatchers administration and the Falklands War; but he seems to see Thatcher as merely a troublesome exception to his theory rather than as an opportunity for further exploration.There is very little attention paid in the book to how the idealized forms of masculinity formed during childhood fare when the now-grown boy ventures into the "real world" and discovers that his expectations and idealized conceptions do not necessarily provide a completely realistic view of how men are expected to behave. Dawson himself was inculcated with heroic tales of soldiers but he became transformed into a pacifist as a teenager. I would be curious to see a case study of someone with a background similar to Dawsons who entered the military and experienced the realities of military life; rather than the mere imagined construct of what life as a soldier would be like. Likewise; Dawson does not offer a theory on whether or not a steady diet of military adventure during boyhood might make a young man more prone to seeking out militaristic adventure as an adult. He certainly discusses formations of masculinity in great detail; but he does not venture further into an exploration of the development of militancy or militarization.Dawsons study provides a fascinating set of answers for why the appeal of British soldier heroes and military adventures has been so dominant. His argument that these images offer idealized masculine wish-fulfillment for countering social and power-related anxieties is convincing; and cleverly bolstered by his understanding of psychoanalytical techniques. At times; though; Dawson does seem to get a bit bogged down in his psychological arguments and passages can be abstruse for readers without a sufficiently firm grounding in psychology. Dawson could clearly publish a companion piece to Soldier Heroes; expanding on his original research and offering further analysis of the impact of imagined masculinities on young men. Soldier Heroes is a highly recommended study for any scholar interested in the role that military imagery and experiences play in the development of masculinity.