In 1867, Alfred Nobel patented dynamite, a significant advancement in explosive technology. By stabilizing nitroglycerin with diatomaceous earth, Nobel created a safer and more manageable explosive, which transformed construction, mining, and demolition industries. However, the widespread use of dynamite also raised ethical concerns about its application in warfare, leading Nobel to later establish the Nobel Prizes to promote peace.

Alfred Nobel's invention of dynamite in 1867 paradoxically funded peace prizes while enabling destructive wars, which inspired ironic literary commentary. Poets like W. H. Auden and Wilfred Owen reflected on the horrors of war, critiquing the duality of progress and destruction in their works, thus influencing the anti-war literary movement.