Modernism Post WWI ’s

Modernism Reflects a sense of cultural crisis Reflects a sense of cultural crisis Knowledge is not absolute Knowledge is not absolute Marx, Freud and Darwin had started it with the naturalists Marx, Freud and Darwin had started it with the naturalists Freud’s psycho-analytic theories Freud’s psycho-analytic theories Loss of a sense of tradition Loss of a sense of tradition Life is fragmented, not continuous Life is fragmented, not continuous Increasing dominance of technology Increasing dominance of technology

Modernist Period Late 19th century- 1930’s/1940’s Late 19th century- 1930’s/1940’s Historians say that modernism is the result of the general transformation of society caused by industrialization and technology during the 19th century. Historians say that modernism is the result of the general transformation of society caused by industrialization and technology during the 19th century.

Modernism Focuses on how modern life is ruining the individual spirit Focuses on how modern life is ruining the individual spirit Disillusionment- the impoverished human soul Disillusionment- the impoverished human soul

Modernism Sense of alienation, loss and despair Sense of alienation, loss and despair Portrays elements of society that serve to separate and isolate people Portrays elements of society that serve to separate and isolate people The “evils” and effects of modern life The “evils” and effects of modern life

Modernism Radical experiment with form and style Radical experiment with form and style Unconventional structures Unconventional structures Strange capitalization and lack of punctuation Strange capitalization and lack of punctuation Stream of consciousness Stream of consciousness e.e.cummings and Gertrude Stein exemplified this experimentation e.e.cummings and Gertrude Stein exemplified this experimentation

Prominent American Modernists Novelists: F. Scott Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald John Steinbeck John Steinbeck William Faulkner William Faulkner Ernest Hemingway Ernest HemingwayPlaywrights: Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams Arthur Miller Arthur Miller Eugene O’Neill Eugene O’NeillPoets: T.S. Eliot T.S. Eliot William Carlos Williams William Carlos Williams Ezra Pound Ezra Pound John Dos Passos John Dos Passos e.e. cummings e.e. cummings Edna St. Vincent Millay Edna St. Vincent Millay