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Print | Close Window Characteristics Of Modernism By definition, Modernism is “a style or movement in the arts that aims to break with classical and traditional forms”. This movement originated when some writers felt that they required a new form of writing to express their ideologies and outlook towards life. Modernism enabled writers to pursue highly individualistic forms of writing. Thus, this style of writing represents a radical shift in cultural sensibilities of the corresponding time. The concept of modernism took shape in the 19th and early 20th centuries, a time period which witnessed the development of modern industrial societies and rapid growth of cities. The horror of WW I also fed the urge for a new way to express the protest towards the social atmosphere prevalent at that time. Writers such as Ezra Pound and other poets rejected the expressive kind of writing followed in the romantic and Victorian literature and favored a more sharp style of writing to raise their voice of protest against the existing social situations. However, with the commencement of WW I, writers began to concentrate more on the cynical postwar works reflecting the sense of disillusionment and fragmented thought that prevailed in the society, leading to the end of modernism. Read on to know more about this concept. Modernism In Literature Formal/Stylistic Characteristics Of Modernism Irony, comparisons, juxtaposition and satire are some common elements found in modernist writing. Modernistic works are often written in first person and are quite different from traditional styles. In modernism, the content of the writing is represented as a long stream of consciousness, just like a rant, that often does not have a proper beginning, middle and/or end. Hence, the readers may get slightly confused as to what the writer is trying to communicate to them. Juxtaposition usually represents something which is unusual, for example, a cat and mouse sharing a good friendship. Modernist writers use irony and satire as tools that aid them in making fun of something and point out faults, usually, problems within their society. Thematic Characteristics Modernist writing, for a firsttime reader, can be a frustrating experience, requiring a big effort to understand the concept. This is because of the fragmentation and lack of conciseness of the writing, which are main characteristics of modernism. The plot, theme and the characters are not necessarily linear. Modernist writings usually focus more on representing the writer's ideas, opinions and thoughts and presenting them to the public at as high a volume as possible. It could be an opposition to the existing social structure, a social practice or a prevailing ideology. Some past modernist writers were also known to create stylistic and artistic texts using different fonts, symbols, colors etc. in their writing. General Characteristics Modernism is marked by a strong and intentional break from the traditional way of rendering a theme or a thought. The concept of modernism denies the existence of truth. According to this school of thought, everything is relative. Modernists believe that the world is what we perceive or, in other words, the world is what we say it is. Modernism maintains absolutely no connection with history or historical institutions. According to this concept, life is unordered. Modernism emphasizes on the importance of companionship between individuals and celebration of inner strength. New Sense Of Reality Modernism believes in relative, provisional truths and hence, it replaced the concept of absolute, knowable truth with the awareness of "reality".

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    CharacteristicsOfModernismBydefinition,Modernismisastyleormovementintheartsthataimstobreakwithclassicalandtraditionalforms.Thismovementoriginatedwhensomewritersfeltthattheyrequiredanewformofwritingtoexpresstheirideologiesandoutlooktowards life. Modernism enabled writers to pursue highly individualistic forms of writing. Thus, this style of writingrepresentsaradicalshiftinculturalsensibilitiesofthecorrespondingtime.Theconceptofmodernismtookshapeinthe19thandearly20thcenturies,a timeperiodwhichwitnessedthedevelopmentofmodern industrialsocietiesandrapidgrowthofcities.ThehorrorofWWIalsofedtheurgeforanewwaytoexpresstheprotesttowardsthesocialatmosphereprevalentatthattime.WriterssuchasEzraPoundandotherpoetsrejectedtheexpressivekindofwritingfollowedintheromanticandVictorianliteratureandfavoredamoresharpstyleofwritingtoraisetheirvoiceofprotestagainsttheexistingsocialsituations.However,withthecommencementofWWI,writersbegantoconcentratemoreonthecynicalpostwarworksreflectingthesenseofdisillusionmentandfragmentedthoughtthatprevailedinthesociety, leadingtotheendofmodernism.Readontoknowmoreaboutthisconcept.ModernismInLiterature

    Formal/StylisticCharacteristicsOfModernism

    Irony,comparisons,juxtapositionandsatirearesomecommonelementsfoundinmodernistwriting.Modernisticworksareoften written in first person and are quite different from traditional styles. In modernism, the content of the writing isrepresentedasalongstreamofconsciousness,justlikearant,thatoftendoesnothaveaproperbeginning,middleand/orend.Hence, thereadersmaygetslightlyconfusedastowhat thewriter is tryingtocommunicatetothem.Juxtapositionusuallyrepresentssomethingwhichisunusual,forexample,acatandmousesharingagoodfriendship.Modernistwritersuseironyandsatireastoolsthataidtheminmakingfunofsomethingandpointoutfaults,usually,problemswithintheirsociety.ThematicCharacteristicsModernistwriting,forafirsttimereader,canbeafrustratingexperience,requiringabigefforttounderstandtheconcept.Thisisbecauseofthefragmentationandlackofconcisenessofthewriting,whicharemaincharacteristicsofmodernism.Theplot,themeandthecharactersarenotnecessarilylinear.Modernistwritingsusuallyfocusmoreonrepresentingthewriter's ideas,opinionsandthoughtsandpresentingthemtothepublicatashighavolumeaspossible. Itcouldbeanoppositiontotheexistingsocialstructure,asocialpracticeoraprevailingideology.Somepastmodernistwriterswerealsoknowntocreatestylisticandartistictextsusingdifferentfonts,symbols,colorsetc.intheirwriting.GeneralCharacteristics

    Modernismismarkedbyastrongandintentionalbreakfromthetraditionalwayofrenderingathemeorathought.Theconceptofmodernismdeniestheexistenceoftruth.Accordingtothisschoolofthought,everythingisrelative.Modernistsbelievethattheworldiswhatweperceiveor,inotherwords,theworldiswhatwesayitis.Modernismmaintainsabsolutelynoconnectionwithhistoryorhistoricalinstitutions.Accordingtothisconcept,lifeisunordered.Modernism emphasizes on the importance of companionship between individuals and celebration of innerstrength.

    NewSenseOfReality

    Modernismbelievesinrelative,provisionaltruthsandhence, itreplacedtheconceptofabsolute,knowabletruthwiththeawarenessof"reality".

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    Modernistsrefusedtofollowtheteleologicalwaysofthinkinginwhichphenomenaareexplainedonthebasisoftheirendsorpurposes.Itsuggestedadevelopmentinthesenseoftimeasweexperienceitashiftfromlineartimeto"momenttime".Livinginthemomentwasanunderlyingthemeofmodernism.Modernismemphasizedmoreonanart'sabilitytoaffectthemind,ratherthanemphasizingonexternalreality.Letstakeanexample fromanart form tomake theconceptmoredecipherablepaintingswere "representational" inVictorianpainting,whichpresentednarrativescenes.Ontheotherhand,inImpressionism,therewasanattempttopaint thequalityof thesensationsstimulatedby thescenes.Movingon toPostImpressionism,youcanseeanattempt to portray the pure elements of color and form, an attempt to represent the perceiving mind and theaestheticconsciousness.Modernismfocusesmoreonepistemologicalconcernslikehowdoweknowandwhatweknowanditinquireshowthewayofthinkingisinseparablefromtheformofthinking.Modernismisareactionagainstthedominanceofrationalandlogicaldiscourse.

    NewApproachesInModernistWritingCharacter:Thecharactersummarydisappearsinmodernism.Itischaracterizedbytherepresentationofselfasdiverse,contradictoryandambiguous.Style:Thestylechangedintoanimagisticwayratherthanonegivinglogicalconnections.Plot:Modernismdoubtslinearplotsthatcomewithsudden,unexpectedturningpoints.Alternatively,itusesmomenttimecontrapuntalmultipleplotsandopenunresolvedendings.Focalization:Modernismrejectsthesingle,authoritative,omniscientpointofviewthatcomesfromtheconsciousnessofonecharacter.Instead,ittakesonmultiplepointsofviewsimultaneouslyheldbyonecharacter..CausesOfDevelopmentOfANewThoughtModernismisaresultofasenseofachangingworld,stimulatedbyradicaldevelopmentslike:

    escalationofwarfaretoagloballevel.newdevelopmentintheanthropologicalstudiesandreligion.newinsightsfromnewlydevelopingfieldslikepsychologyandsociology.scientificdevelopmentofnewtheoriesofelectromagnetismandquantumphysics.risingcriticismagainstBritishimperialismandtheideologyofempireemergenceof"cityconsciousness".shiftingpowerstructureslikewomenenteringtheworkforce.developmentofinformationtechnologieslikeradioandcinema.newconceptslikemassdemocracyandtheriseofmasscommunication.findesicleor"endofthecentury"consciousness.

    Modernismgainedpopularityasaprotesttotheexistingsociety,socialinstitutionsandthewaytheyfunctioned.However,inliterature,itdeclinedafteraperiodastheworksconcentratedmoreonthewriterslineofthoughtinanabstractmanner,which made them difficult to understand. However, there are some writers who find this style more comfortable forpresentingtheirideologiesandfollowthisschoolofthoughtevennow.

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