ModernismModernism

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Modernist literatureModernist literature has its origins has its origins in the late 19th and early 20th in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mainly in Europe and centuries, mainly in Europe and North America. North America.

Roughly from about 1900 until Roughly from about 1900 until around 1940.around 1940.

Why the change?Why the change?

““Generally, modernists were driven by the Generally, modernists were driven by the belief that the assurances once provided by belief that the assurances once provided by religion, politics, or society no longer religion, politics, or society no longer sufficed. This belief intensified after World sufficed. This belief intensified after World War I, when it seemed to many that history War I, when it seemed to many that history itself was coming to an end and that modern itself was coming to an end and that modern life was horrific, chaotic, and ultimately life was horrific, chaotic, and ultimately futile.”futile.”

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americannovel/timhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/americannovel/timeline/modernism.htmleline/modernism.html

Characterized by:Characterized by:

A break with traditional forms of poetryA break with traditional forms of poetry Self-consciousness/stream of Self-consciousness/stream of

consciousnessconsciousness Instead of progress and growth, the Instead of progress and growth, the

Modernist sees decay and a growing Modernist sees decay and a growing alienation of the individual. alienation of the individual.

A general disdain for most of the literary A general disdain for most of the literary production of the last century. production of the last century.

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Often characterized by highly Often characterized by highly intellectual, allusive poetry intellectual, allusive poetry

Novels – unreliable narrator, multiple Novels – unreliable narrator, multiple points of viewpoints of view

Idea that the truth is not absoluteIdea that the truth is not absolute Sense of the serious responsibility of Sense of the serious responsibility of

the artist (often resulted in very long the artist (often resulted in very long poems and books)poems and books)

““Lost Generation”Lost Generation”

In American Literature, the group of In American Literature, the group of writers and thinkers known as the writers and thinkers known as the Lost Generation has become Lost Generation has become synonymous with Modernism.synonymous with Modernism.

…… After WWI, some American artists chose to After WWI, some American artists chose to

live abroad as they pursued their creative live abroad as they pursued their creative impulses. These included Gertrude Stein, impulses. These included Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the painter Waldo Pierce, among others. and the painter Waldo Pierce, among others. The term itself refers to the “spiritual and The term itself refers to the “spiritual and existential hangover left by four years of existential hangover left by four years of unimaginably destructive warfare. The artists unimaginably destructive warfare. The artists of the Lost Generation struggled to find some of the Lost Generation struggled to find some meaning in the world in the wake of chaos.”meaning in the world in the wake of chaos.”

http://www.online-literature.com/periods/modhttp://www.online-literature.com/periods/modernism.phpernism.php

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Midnight in ParisMidnight in Paris – a film by Woody – a film by Woody AllenAllen

Suggested viewing as it visits the Suggested viewing as it visits the Lost Generation during their time in Lost Generation during their time in ParisParis

Artists we will study in class:Artists we will study in class:

William Butler YeatsWilliam Butler Yeats Ezra PoundEzra Pound TS EliotTS Eliot Jean Toomer (also part of the Harlem Jean Toomer (also part of the Harlem

Renaissance)Renaissance) Virginia Woolf Virginia Woolf Marianne MooreMarianne Moore Marcel DuchampMarcel Duchamp