Heroic anxieties: the figure of the British soldier in contemporary print media

Abstract This article is about representations of the figure of the British soldier in contemporary print media. Drawing on photographs reproduced across a range of newspapers over a specified time period in 2006, the article examines the salient features of the construction of the figure of the soldier within this quantity and diversity of images. A key distinction in this group of images is that between the anonymous and the named soldier. The use of generic images of soldiers is discussed. The article assesses the functions of these representations of the soldier in terms of the work that they do in consolidating specific narratives about armed conflict. The article argues that contemporary print media representations of the figure of the British soldier reflect anxieties about armed violence, and its legitimacy or otherwise.