Modernism and the Tumultuous 20th Century
The 20th Century: War, Culture, and Modernism
World War I: A Destructive Catalyst
The early 20th century marked a period of profound change, driven significantly by World War I. This historical event, particularly destructive, focused industrial efforts on weapon production. WWI served as the initial shock that ushered in the 20th century. Its brutality was immense, involving numerous countries and leading to the massive destruction of young lives. For instance, The Battle of the Somme (1916) saw 20,000 young men die on the first day, with 60,000 casualties throughout the battle. In total, 9,000,000 soldiers perished in WWI, shattering an entire civilization.
Post-War Society: Unrest and Economic Collapse
The war provoked a widespread sense of disaffection and mistrust in government, feelings that profoundly characterized the literature of the era. The period between WWI and WWII saw the rise of Modernism. The post-war situation, even after the war ended in 1918, did not improve. The working class took to the streets, and the Russian Revolution of 1917 was viewed with admiration by many. Across Europe, society was restless, leading to widespread strikes and demonstrations. The economy was in dire straits, culminating in the 1929 stock market crash and the collapse of the U.S. economy. This severe crisis led to financial collapse, requiring government intervention to rescue the state. European intellectuals felt increasingly isolated during this tumultuous time, which ultimately concluded with World War II, an even more destructive conflict. Artists, too, became increasingly detached from society.
Cultural Evolution and Intellectual Responses
Mass Entertainment and Popular Culture Emergence
The first decade of the 20th century also marked the beginning of Mass Entertainment and Popular Culture. This era saw the emergence of cinema, radio, organized sports, and cheap literature. Intellectuals, however, often disliked and felt ashamed of this new form of entertainment and literature. This period highlighted a clear division between the popular and high classes, with popular culture often serving to keep society quiescent.
Psychology and Literary Innovation
In contrast, intellectuals explored their art more deeply, coinciding with significant developments in psychology, particularly through the work of Sigmund Freud. Freud’s works, including those on the interpretation of dreams and the unconscious, were translated into English, profoundly influencing artists. Consequently, artists began to focus on the inner minds of their characters, leading to the development of the “Stream of Consciousness” narrative technique, famously employed in works like Ulysses by J. Joyce and Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
Modernism: Reshaping Literature
Understanding the Modernist Movement
Modernism, as a literary movement, flourished in Europe and America during the 1920s and 1930s. Modernist writers experimented extensively with forms, devices, and styles. They were heavily influenced by Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theories, and their works often reflected a profound sense of loss, disillusionment, and despair. While they perceived a fragmented world, they hoped their artistic creations could offer a counterpoint to this fragmentation.
Modernist Literary Experimentation
Modernist writers embraced literary experimentation, often warping traditional forms to create new expressions. Their motto, “Make it new,” encapsulated their approach. They rejected conventional storytelling structures, instead experimenting with techniques like Stream of Consciousness and non-linear progressions. Poetry became more detached and intellectual rather than overtly emotional, with poets introducing colloquial expressions and adopting an ironic tone. Modernist poetry was characterized by its intellectual complexity, making it challenging to read. In the novel, authors increasingly followed their unique artistic visions.
- Key Features of Modernist Literature:
- Experimentation with narrative technique.
- Rejection of traditional forms and structures.
- Focus on inner consciousness and psychological depth.
- Themes of fragmentation, loss, and disillusionment.
- Use of irony and intellectual complexity.
Influential Works and Historical Context
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
This Künstlerroman (a novel tracing the development of an artist from childhood to maturity) semi-autobiographically describes the journey of Stephen Dedalus from early childhood through his student days, as he gradually acquires a sense of his destiny as an artist.
Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891)
An Irish Nationalist politician, Parnell was a staunch defender of Home Rule for Ireland in the English Parliament. However, a scandal involving an adulterous love affair in 1890 led the Catholic Church to withdraw its support, causing his fall from grace.