Modernism in Literature: An Overview of early 20th Century Literary Trends

1. When did Modernism flourish?

2. It may be applies to the __________________ or _________________ of a work. It reflects a sense of

________________ __________________. Modernism is marked by ________________________ and the

realization that ________________________ is not absolute.

3. Modernism is not just a literary movement but can also be seen in [list three!]:

4. Modernism was built on a sense of ____________________ ________________________, a loss of a sense of

________________________, and increasing dominance of ________________________________.

5. Some of the thematic features: Intentional distortion of _________________________; breakdown of

____________________ norms and ________________________ ___________________________; rejection

of _________________________; need to reflect the __________________________ of modern urban life;

importance of the unconscious _______________________; overwhelming ___________________________ changes.

6. Karl Marx and Charles Darwin had unsettled men from their secure place at the _____________________ of the

human universe. Their theories threatened ___________________________ _________________________-

_______________________ and caused a feeling of ideological _________________________________.

7. Some influential thinkers:

a. Max Plank, founder of ___________________ __________________________

b. Albert Einstein, Theory of __________________________________.

c. William James introduced the idea of the __________________________ of _______________________.

d. Sigmund Freud, new method of psychology using _______________________ ______________________.

e. Carl Jung, developed the concept of the ________________________ _________________________

f. Friedrich Nietzche, said ______________________ was an affirmation of _____________________

g. Henri Bergson developed the theory of _______________________________

h. James Frazer, mythologist who wrote _____________________________________________.

i. Ferdinand de Saussure considered the father of _______________________________________

8. Modernism shows up in art as well. List one modernist painter and why their work represents modernist values:

9. Name on Modernist composer and why their music reflects Modernist values:

10. One of the biggest features of Modernist poetry is the use of free verse. It has a _________________________

of line length, massive use of _________________________ & ______________________________, no

traditional _________________________ or regular ________________________ ______________________,

and use of distinct ____________________ _____________________.

11. Two of the most important Modernist poets are ________________________ and _______________________.

12. Novelists also got into the act. These books are characterized by: ________________________ nature; lack of

chronological ______________________, a number of different _______________________________; self

reflexive about the act of _____________________, use of _______________________ ___________________

13. Novels also used a new technique called ______________________ of __________________________.

14. It creates the impression that the reader is inside the character’s __________________________.