Modernism. An IntroductionModernism. An Introduction

Pre – requisites for UnderstandingPre – requisites for Understanding

Neoclassicism dominates literary Neoclassicism dominates literary production up to the Romantic period in production up to the Romantic period in literature literature

Neoclassicism has its roots in the Neoclassicism has its roots in the Classical period (Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Classical period (Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Sophocles).Sophocles).

Much more of Plato than any other Greek Much more of Plato than any other Greek fellow is to be found in the literature. fellow is to be found in the literature.

Neoclassical Literature is orderly, logical, Neoclassical Literature is orderly, logical, and fact-based, produced by authors who and fact-based, produced by authors who are detached and unemotional in their are detached and unemotional in their writing.writing.

This style of literature can be seen in the This style of literature can be seen in the writings of Realism (roughly the late 19writings of Realism (roughly the late 19thth century) century) writers depicted life as they writers depicted life as they believed it really was.believed it really was.

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MODERNISMMODERNISM Modernism (roughly 1910 – mid 1930s) is an Modernism (roughly 1910 – mid 1930s) is an

aesthetic movement recording aesthetic movement recording a radical breaka radical break with and from the past. with and from the past.

It is a cosmopolitan movementIt is a cosmopolitan movement multi-national and multi-disciplinary (i.e.: multi-national and multi-disciplinary (i.e.:

present in culture, philosophy, science, present in culture, philosophy, science, literature, art). literature, art).

It represents a It represents a reactionreaction to traditional to traditional standardsstandards

Specific to the literary movement is a major and Specific to the literary movement is a major and self-conscious breakself-conscious break with the American and with the American and European literary tradition.European literary tradition.

FACTORSFACTORS

1818thth and 19 and 19thth centuries, centuries, expanse of the world, expanse of the world, brutal wars foughtbrutal wars fought unrest in the churches that had held ground for unrest in the churches that had held ground for

centuries, centuries, the return of man at the center of thought and the return of man at the center of thought and

explorationexploration society becomes more secular (though 95% of society becomes more secular (though 95% of

its citizens claim a belief in God) its citizens claim a belief in God) WWI: as technology gets better and better WWI: as technology gets better and better

more powerful weapons more powerful weapons

The social landscape of the timeThe social landscape of the time

Rise of cities, advancing technology,Rise of cities, advancing technology, Dehumanization resulting from mechanizationDehumanization resulting from mechanization Anonymity (aftermath of WWI, industrialization)Anonymity (aftermath of WWI, industrialization) Changing class structure (economic boom and swing)Changing class structure (economic boom and swing) A. Einstein, quantum physics, uncertainty principleA. Einstein, quantum physics, uncertainty principle The Unconscious (Freud’s The Interpretation of The Unconscious (Freud’s The Interpretation of

Dreams)Dreams) The Stream of Consciousness (Bergson, W. James)The Stream of Consciousness (Bergson, W. James) Racial Memory (C. Jung, The Psychology of the Racial Memory (C. Jung, The Psychology of the

Unconscious)Unconscious) Anthropology (Frazer’s The Golden Bough, J. Weston, Anthropology (Frazer’s The Golden Bough, J. Weston,

from Ritual to Romance)from Ritual to Romance)

F. Nietzsche: “God is dead”F. Nietzsche: “God is dead” morality is being slowly replaced with morality is being slowly replaced with

materialism and the quest for riches, materialism and the quest for riches, man can no longer look at the structure and man can no longer look at the structure and

functioning of society around him functioning of society around him He cannot “see” God’s presenceHe cannot “see” God’s presence

Charles Darwin’s Charles Darwin’s

Theory of Natural SelectionTheory of Natural Selection

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Message

What does Modernism look like?What does Modernism look like?

anti-Romantic (meaning is no longer in the act of anti-Romantic (meaning is no longer in the act of art but in the art itself)art but in the art itself)

meaning is subjective and no longer meaning is subjective and no longer needs needs to be to be present—we do not look to art to see ourselves present—we do not look to art to see ourselves

deliberate break from the pastdeliberate break from the past ( (in style, form, in style, form, content, as well as historical location)content, as well as historical location)

alienation from society, lonelinessalienation from society, loneliness procrastination, inability to actprocrastination, inability to act agonized recollection of the past, causing man agonized recollection of the past, causing man

to create own myths in his mind to fall back on to create own myths in his mind to fall back on

fear of death with a constant awareness of fear of death with a constant awareness of deathdeath

inability to express or to feel “real” loveinability to express or to feel “real” love ironic: attenuated emotion yet a ironic: attenuated emotion yet a sense of sense of

excitement about the futureexcitement about the future (that, (that, incidentally never amounts to anything - a incidentally never amounts to anything - a tragic struggle against disappointment)tragic struggle against disappointment)

world as a wastelandworld as a wasteland inability to see self reflected in the inability to see self reflected in the

surrounding world, in otherssurrounding world, in others

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THE WRITER WILLTHE WRITER WILL locate meaning from the viewpoint of the locate meaning from the viewpoint of the

individual individual interior monologue interior monologue narrators located within the action of the fictionnarrators located within the action of the fiction show events from a personal and particular (as show events from a personal and particular (as

opposed to an omniscient and/or “objective”) opposed to an omniscient and/or “objective”) perspective perspective shift of point of viewshift of point of view

use of many voices, contrasts and contestations use of many voices, contrasts and contestations of perspectiveof perspective

the reader sees the story from many different the reader sees the story from many different “perspectives” “perspectives” multiple perspective multiple perspective

the omniscient narrator is the omniscient narrator is eclipsedeclipsed, especially , especially as the ‘spokesperson’ for the authoras the ‘spokesperson’ for the author

Free indirect styleFree indirect style

Moves into the inner side of characters Moves into the inner side of characters subjectivitysubjectivity

time becomes psychological timetime becomes psychological time symbolic time rather than historical reality. symbolic time rather than historical reality. time as a structuring device through a movement time as a structuring device through a movement

backwards or forwardsbackwards or forwards Juxtaposition of events referring to different timesJuxtaposition of events referring to different times Art attempts to “imitate” or “re-present Art attempts to “imitate” or “re-present

reality”reality” Understanding of what constitutes reality Understanding of what constitutes reality

changes changes Study of how reality can best be re-presented Study of how reality can best be re-presented

presented to the mind and sense most faithfully presented to the mind and sense most faithfully and fully and fully aesthetical research aesthetical research

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represent various typical themes: question of the reality represent various typical themes: question of the reality of experience of experience

the search for a ground of meaning in a world without the search for a ground of meaning in a world without GodGod

the critique of the traditional values of culturethe critique of the traditional values of culture the loss of meaning and hope in the modern world the loss of meaning and hope in the modern world an exploration of the ways the loss may be facean exploration of the ways the loss may be face show the surface disorder of the world/society and show the surface disorder of the world/society and

nevertheless imply there exists nevertheless imply there exists a certain underlying unitya certain underlying unity

epict the myriad ways characters epict the myriad ways characters cancan become become honorable honorable and dignified in a world seemingly lacking both honor and and dignified in a world seemingly lacking both honor and dignity.dignity.

FICTION WILL

What’s the point of all this?What’s the point of all this?

Complete a search, or undertake a search Complete a search, or undertake a search and so be “battered” and educated by it,and so be “battered” and educated by it,

Look for an understanding of the self in the Look for an understanding of the self in the context of the world/societycontext of the world/society

Simple search for meaningSimple search for meaning Make meaning out of experience to render Make meaning out of experience to render

living purposefulliving purposeful

are generally on some type of are generally on some type of questquest, preparing to reward , preparing to reward themselves (and often recreate themselves in a fashion that themselves (and often recreate themselves in a fashion that is understandable to them)is understandable to them)

undertake the quest so as to live all they can undertake the quest so as to live all they can find meaning in a disordered and confused worldfind meaning in a disordered and confused world do not know or understand a world of rationality and do not know or understand a world of rationality and

staunch morality staunch morality

THEY SEETHEY SEE

a world characterized by loose morality a world characterized by loose morality people are easily seduced by transitory pleasures,people are easily seduced by transitory pleasures, people who exhibit little ambition or motivation or regard for people who exhibit little ambition or motivation or regard for

the consequences of their actions. the consequences of their actions.

Modernist charactersModernist characters

IN SHORT MODERNISMIN SHORT MODERNISM arises from a sharp and biting sense of loss on arises from a sharp and biting sense of loss on

ontological groundingontological grounding may be a response to a sense of social may be a response to a sense of social

breakdownbreakdown may be considered a reaction to WWImay be considered a reaction to WWI sees the world as fragmented, unrelated in its sees the world as fragmented, unrelated in its

piecespieces perceives the connective threads of existence perceives the connective threads of existence

previously present as missing (i.e. previously present as missing (i.e. morality, morality, religion, common goals and experiencesreligion, common goals and experiences))

is ironic, but not unfeelingis ironic, but not unfeeling questions the purpose of art because it perceives questions the purpose of art because it perceives

the world as falling apartthe world as falling apart