Vera Brittain
Vera Brittain: A Life of Service and Activism
Full Name and Common Aliases
Vera Mary Brittain was born on 29 September 1893 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England. She is commonly known as Vera Brittain.
Birth and Death Dates
Brittain's life spanned from 1893-1970, covering a significant period of history during which she witnessed wars, social changes, and feminist movements.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Vera Brittain was British by nationality and held multiple professions throughout her life. She worked as a writer, nurse, pacifist, and women's rights activist.
Early Life and Background
Brittain was born into a middle-class family with strong ties to the Church of England. Her father was a clergyman who encouraged his children to pursue education. Brittain was raised alongside three siblings in an environment that valued learning and social responsibility.
Growing up during World War I had a profound impact on Brittain's life. As she watched her friends leave for war, she began questioning the role of women in society. This period marked the beginning of her lifelong commitment to pacifism and feminist activism.
Major Accomplishments
Brittain's contributions extend far beyond her literary works:
Nurse during WWI: Brittain served as a nurse at the Cameroons Stationary Hospital, where she witnessed the horrors of war firsthand. Her experiences during this period are documented in her memoir, "Testament of Youth."
Pacifist and anti-war activist: Brittain was an outspoken advocate for peace, working closely with organizations such as the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and the Peace Pledge Union.
Women's rights activist: Brittain played a significant role in promoting women's suffrage and education. Her commitment to feminist causes is reflected in her involvement with organizations like the National Council for Civil Liberties.Notable Works or Actions
Some of Brittain's notable works include:
"Testament of Youth" (1933): A memoir that chronicles her experiences during WWI, including her time as a nurse and her personal struggles.
"The Crooked Candles" (1944): A novel that explores themes of love, loss, and social responsibility.
"Testament of Friendship" (1940): A biography that honors the life of her dear friend, Winifred Holtby.
Brittain's actions as a pacifist and activist had far-reaching consequences:
Co-founding the Peace Pledge Union: Brittain worked alongside notable figures like Bertrand Russell to establish this organization, which aimed to promote peace through non-violent means.
Speaking out against war: Brittain was an outspoken critic of war, speaking at conferences and rallies across Europe.
Impact and Legacy
Vera Brittain's impact extends beyond her literary works:
Inspiration for future generations: Her life and writings continue to inspire women and men around the world who are committed to creating positive change.
Advocacy for peace and human rights: Brittain's work has left a lasting legacy, shaping the way we think about conflict resolution, social justice, and human rights.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Vera Brittain is widely quoted and remembered due to her:
Unwavering commitment to pacifism: Her dedication to promoting peace through non-violent means has inspired countless individuals.
Courage in the face of adversity: Brittain's willingness to speak out against war, even when it meant facing personal risks, has made her a symbol of courage and conviction.
As we reflect on Brittain's life, we are reminded of the power of compassion, empathy, and activism. Her legacy serves as a reminder that one person can make a significant difference in shaping the world around us.
Quotes by Vera Brittain
Vera Brittain's insights on:
I joined the Pass Mods. class and studied the cyropaedia and Livy’s Wars with a resentful feeling that there was quite enough war in the world without having to read about it in Latin.
An author who waits for the right ‘mood’ will soon find that ‘moods’ get fewer and fewer until they cease altogether.
Love, for her, was something to be gloried in and acknowledged; like so many others, she had not seen enough of the War at first hand to realise how quickly romance was being replaced by bitterness and pessimism in all the young lovers whom 1914 had caught at the end of their teens.
It seems delightfully incongruous,’ he wrote from Armentie‘res, ’that there should be good shops and fine buildings and comfortable beds less than half an hour’s walk from the trenches.
A number of neurotic ancestors, combined with with persistent, unresolved terrors of childhood, had deprived me of the comfortable gift of natural courage.
At this time of the year it seems that everything ought to be creative, not destructive, and that we should encourage things to live and not die.
People talked so foolishly, I thought, about the ennobling effects of suffering. No doubt the philosophy that tells you your soul grows through grief and sorrow is right – ultimately. But I don’t think this is the case at first. At first, pain beyond a certain point merely makes you lifeless, and apathetic to everything but itself.
The fact that, within ten years, I lost one world, and after a time rose again, as it were, from spiritual death to find another, seems to me one of the strongest arguments against suicide that life can provide. There may not be – I believe that there is not – resurrection after death, but nothing could prove more conclusively than my own brief but eventful history the fact that resurrection is possible within our limited span of earthly time.
There is still, I think, not enough recognition by teachers of the fact that the desire to think – which is fundamentally a moral problem – must be induced before the power is developed. Most people, whether men or women, wish above all else to be comfortable, and thought is a pre-eminently uncomfortable process; it brings to the individual far more suffering than happiness in a semi-civilised world which still.