PostmodernisPostmodernis

mm

You

wot?

You

wot? Post = After

Post = AfterModernism = Now or

Modernism = Now or up to dateup to dateBit of a contradiction

Bit of a contradiction in termsin terms

ModernismModernism

11stst ½ of C20th ½ of C20th

Mode

rnism

Mode

rnism

An attempt to express

An attempt to express the upheavals and

the upheavals and uncertainties of the

uncertainties of the timetime In art, traditional forms

In art, traditional forms were rejectedwere rejected Art was no longer

Art was no longer ‘realistic’‘realistic’ Poetry didn’t have to

Poetry didn’t have to rhymerhyme Books didn’t use proper

Books didn’t use proper sentences or even word.

sentences or even word.

From

this

From

this

to th

isto

this

and

from

this

and

from

this

to th

isto

this

PostmodernisPostmodernis

mm22ndnd ½ C20th

½ C20th

Post

mod

erni

smPo

stm

oder

nism

DefinitionDefinition

Postmodernism is often

Postmodernism is often associated with a revolt

associated with a revolt against authority and

against authority and signification and a

signification and a tendency towards

tendency towards pastiche, parody

pastiche, parody quotation, self quotation, self referentiality and

referentiality and eclecticism.eclecticism.The Fontana Dictionary of Modern

The Fontana Dictionary of Modern ThoughtThought

‘…‘…re

volt

agai

nst

revo

lt ag

ains

t au

thor

ity a

nd

auth

ority

and

sig

nific

atio

n…’

signi

ficat

ion…

’

Does not reflect the

Does not reflect the standard order of

standard order of thingsthingsRebels against

Rebels against mainstream ideas

mainstream ideas Subverts what is

Subverts what is considered considered fashionable and fashionable and appropriateappropriate

‘…‘…re

volt

agai

nst

revo

lt ag

ains

t au

thor

ity a

nd

auth

ority

and

sig

nific

atio

n…’ (

part

2)

signi

ficat

ion…

’ (pa

rt 2)

They tend not to

They tend not to express any specific

express any specific meaning or intention,

meaning or intention, such as a social or

such as a social or political agenda.political agenda.Rather they ‘play

Rather they ‘play around with ideas’

around with ideas’ through the way they

through the way they look or sound.look or sound.

Play

ing

with

an

Play

ing

with

an

imag

eim

age

……an

dan

d

‘…‘…pa

stich

e,

past

iche,

pa

rody

pa

rody

qu

otat

ion…

’qu

otat

ion…

’ They refer to, borrow

They refer to, borrow from and sometimes

from and sometimes outright copy other,

outright copy other, older or contemporary

older or contemporary texts (texts (often to make

often to make fun of, or point out the

fun of, or point out the absurdities of those

absurdities of those textstexts).).

‘…‘…se

lf se

lf re

fere

ntia

lity…

’re

fere

ntia

lity…

’ Means that Means that postmodern texts

postmodern texts often refer to their

often refer to their own constructionown construction The text knows it’s a

The text knows it’s a text and will make fun

text and will make fun of itselfof itself

To conclude – To conclude –

sort ofsort of

Post

mod

erni

sm

Post

mod

erni

sm

is:is:

IronicIronic PlayfulPlayfulNostalgicNostalgicChops things up an re-

Chops things up an re-arranges themarranges themBorrows from other

Borrows from other stylesstylesMakes fun of genres,

Makes fun of genres, texts and narratives

texts and narratives

Post

mod

erni

sm lo

oks a

t

Post

mod

erni

sm lo

oks a

t th

e sm

all d

etai

l rat

her

the

smal

l det

ail r

athe

r th

an th

e bi

g pi

ctur

e

than

the

big

pict

ure

Doesn’t try to engage

Doesn’t try to engage with big ideas like

with big ideas like religion or politics

religion or politicsThis is called ‘The

This is called ‘The destruction of the

destruction of the grand narrative’grand narrative’In fact its refusal to

In fact its refusal to engage with these

engage with these ideas is a bold ideas is a bold statement in its own

statement in its own rightright