MODERNISM IS…
Modernism as a literary movement is a reaction to the emergence of city life as a central force in society. Modernist literature normally revolved around the idea of individualism, mistrust of institutions (government, religion), and the disbelief of any absolute truths.
According to Sociologists
“The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique of life.” (Georg Simmel, sociologist)
Characteristics of Modernity/Modernism
Formal/Stylistic characteristics
* Personification
* Stream of consciousness
–writing ideas as they appear, with random connections made.
Virginia Woolf’s Orlando
James Joyce’s Ulysses
Virginia Woolf To The Lighthouse
William Faulkner’s collected works
* Wide use of classical allusions
—many sometimes heavily hidden references to past writing.
* Intertextuality
– stories that rely heavily on other stories.
* Multiple narrative points of view
* Discontinuous narrative
– multiple different story-lines wind together.
* Symbolic representation
– becomes much more prevalent.
–Shared with Romanticism (1800s)
* Juxtaposition of characters
–use of “foils” to emphasize contrasts between character traits.
* Unconventional use of metaphor
* Metanarrative
– stories about stories
* Psychoanalysis
– Continues traditions set forth in Naturalism.
Thematic characteristics
* Breakdown of social norms
* Realistic embodiment of social meanings
* Separation of meanings and senses from the context
* Despair
Despairing individual behaviors in the face of an unmanageable future (like Naturalism)
* Spiritual loneliness
– similar to Naturalism, however this goes further into emotions.
* Alienation
– similar to Naturalism
* Frustration
similar to Naturalism
* Disillusionment
– as the result of industrialized life.
* Rejection of history
* Rejection of outdated social systems
Believes Realism (and especially Naturalism) is too limited.
However, like Realism, it tends to focus on social or historical change.
* Objection to traditional thoughts and traditional moralities
– similar to Transcendentalism
* Objection to religious thoughts
– similar to Transcendentalism
