MODERNISM
Welcome Readers,
Through this blog post, you will be able to get somewhat familiar with the modernist movement and the social and political background as well as its reflection in the literature. Furthermore, not only the reflection in literature but this post will also try to highlight the reactions to literature caused due to the two world wars.
To understand
Modernism, on the first hand, it becomes necessary to shed light on the term 'modernn'.
The term modern in literature and arts is associated with the contemporary
styles of art, literature, music, painting, sculpture, architecture, etc.
particularly those with experimentations.
Modernism is a broad term or rather an umbrella term which focuses on the emergence of new values in the field of social, political, economic and literary life. It was believed that before 1918, the traditional forms of poetry, novel and drama were dated and by then new forms, style in literature began to develop. The literature of the 20th century seemed to be rebelling against the anachronistic mindset of Victorian times. Everything was looked upon with scepticism. A C Ward marks-
“In the first fifty years of the
twentieth century, the human race moved through a remarkable series of
upheavals than during perhaps the fifty generations in the past.”
-A C Ward
Progress was seen in the forms of drama and poetry, and also the form of the novel in the hands of great masters had undergone revolutionary changes. Sometimes, experimentation with art was the sole aim of the writers. In Ward's words,
“Man's growing mastery of the physical world and its
material resources i s a story of ever-accelerating progress accompanied in its later
phases by an unprecedented moral and spiritual relapse. Progress and regress, both,
are fruits of the Scientific Revolution which has been the outstanding feature
of this century.”
The Modern period, beginning around the turn of the 20th century can be assumed to have its roots in the last Victorian transition from widespread belief in 'art as a vehicle for pleasure and instruction' towards 'art for art's sake'.
1)
Revolutionary New Setting
As
every age is the new beginning of the former age where the notions and belief
systems of the previous age are set aside and new progressions towards a better
future of humanity. This age was a revolt from Victorianism- a revolt from the
sense of stability, it's striving from the order and in an urge to establish a
new form and interrogate the traditional human behaviour in every way. The
reaction against old ideals of Victorian life was strong and violent. It was
marked by Ward that,
“Young men and young women during the twentieth century looked back upon the Victorian age as dull and hypocritical. Victorian ideals appeared mean and superficial and stupid.”
2)
The Age of Machinery
This era of mechanical human beings not only brought the feeling of revolt among the
writers but also has created a sense of pessimism and frustration which
resulted in form of a revolt in their literature. Writers seem to have been
awfully disgusted with the modern industrial life and they through their works attacked the industrialism of the age. Additionally, the invention of
modern machinery made humans mentally mechanical. It can be said that the mob
mentality also resulted in the dehumanization.
"The
growth of mass production methods in industry created deep concern among
sociologists who recognised that a lifetime of work on assembly-line
processes was destructive of interest in the objects produced and a threat
of death to craftsmanship."
-
Ward
Many
writers reflected this mechanism in their works of art and some sought escape
from this kind of mechanical humans and returned to the imaginative writings.
"Art gave place to anti-Art banner chaotic production needed no apology or defence chaos had indeed come again, bringing its high priests and devotees."
-Ward
3)
Era of Experimentation
In
this age, the poets and writers began to experiment with art. Movements like
Dadaism, Imagism, Surrealism all begun to paint the vapour of the age. In the
narratives of Virginia Woolf and James Joyce, the generation saw 'stream of
consciousness' as a narrative device employed by the writers to exhibit their
experimenting temperament. In the poems also, this experimenting spirit can be
observed. For example-
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le
af
fa
ll
s)
one
l
iness
In
poetry, the first world war saw radical new experiments in poetry.
In
short, new experiments were tried in all branches of literature.
4)
Complexity and Obscurity
It
can be assumed that the two world wars-
World
War I (1914–1918)
World
War II (1939–1945)
distorted
the spirit of a layman from being hopeful. Watch the following slides to see
the causes and effects of the First World War also known as the Great War.
Hence, the writers of the age followed this
hopelessness and woven this theme in their work of art in the complex and
obscure language. For example, 'The Birthday Party' and 'Waiting for Godot' are
the plays which highlight the lamentations resulted from wars. The Literary
writers got confused among many ideologies and their writings began to seek for
spiritual focus. As for example T S Eliot’s ‘The Waste Land’ talks about
spiritual degradation.
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