INSTITUTE

The Movement of Modernism

Modernistic Literary

NAME & CLASS [Pick the date]

Modernism 1

Table of Contents Introduction to Modernism: ......................................................................................... 2 History and Overview: ................................................................................................ 2 Influences and Important People: ............................................................................... 2 Quotes in context: ...................................................................................................... 3 Works Cited................................................................................................................ 4

Modernism 2

Introduction to Modernism: There were a number of literary periods in the history of American Literature like The Enlightenment, Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Realism, Naturalism etc out of which the modernism or the Modernist literature was a post literary era being an important part of the English Literature. History and Overview: It was the 20th century when this new era of literary erupted in the history of American Literature encapsulated in the days of World War 1 (Lorcher). It was basically a representation of the sudden breakthrough of the traditional aesthetics of culture towards a modernized, industrialized and fast moving globalized world (education-portal). One could say that it was a representation and realization of an aspect of globalization, a shift towards the machinery world which was further drawing conclusion and resulting in some new characteristics to this world (Holds). It was basically a representation of the destructive crisis happened to the culture. Assuming Modernism as a literary movement can not only be categorized in the context of literary but moreover there were impacts left upon many other fields like Anthropology, Psychology, Music and Painting, Architecture and Sculpture etc. It was all about the new revolution in the global cultures, loss of historical traditions and most importantly the dominance imposed by technology (Ciaffaroni). Influences and Important People: To better understand history and literature it is important to put an in depth light on the influences of this great movement. Some of the most important consequences for this movement are the aesthetics or critical reflection of experimentation, the fragmentation of social norms and relationships, the ambiguity developed, the revolutionary Nihilism doctrine that advocated the destruction of the

Modernism 3

social system, variety of theories and diverse practices. All of these consequences had a very strong influence and can be taken accountable for the modernist movement (Britannica). There were a number of people involved which not only included writers but also scientists. The greatest scientist Albert Einsteins psychological illusion in the field of science were also influenced by this movement in spite of knowing the fact that the movement affected many areas including science (Ciaffaroni). Upon researching for the role playing people in this movement it has been clearly identified that Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, T. S. Eliot and Virginia Woolf (Keep, McLaughlin and Parmar). Quotes in context: The greatest example of modernist literary is In a Station of the Metro - Ezra Pound where the writers mind has two sides of the picture; one is expressing the beauty of life and other side is revealing its destruction referring to alienation the and says The apparition of these faces in the crowd; petals on a wet, black bough (Louis Untermeyer). Another famous example is of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot where the writer has summarized the factor of the irony used and wrote To lead you to an overwhelming question. Oh, do not ask, What is it? Let us go and make our visit (Eliot 10-15) Hills like white elephants by Hemingway is another modernistic literary where a representation of diverse practices and ambiguity is present when Hemingway writes so much depends upon a red wheel barrow (Williams).

Modernism 4

Works Cited Ciaffaroni, Maria Teresa. "ciaffaroni: modernism in literature." 28 February 2009. Slide Share Web site. Document. 22 March 2012. education-portal. lesson: introduction to modernism. 20 February 2003. Article. 23 March 2012. Eliot, Thomas Stearns. Prufrock, and other observations, by T. S. Eliot. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1920; Bartleby.com, 2011, 1920. Content. Holds, Josh Rahn. Josh. "Literary Periods: Modernism." 1 January 2000. The Litrature Network Webite. Article. 22 March 2012. Keep, Christopher, Tim McLaughlin and Robin Parmar. "elab; Modernism and the Modern Novel." 5 January 2001. The Electronic Labyrinth Web site. Article. 23 March 2012. Lorcher, Trent. Bright Hub Education. 1 January 2012. Article. 23 March 2012. Louis Untermeyer, ed.,. Modern American poetry: an introduction, edited by Louis Untermeyer. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Howe: Brace and Howe, 1919; Bartleby.com, 1999, 1919. Content. Williams, William Carlos. Spring and All - The Red Wheelbarrow. Paris: -, 1923. Content. "Modernism." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/387266/Modernism