"Literary modernism, or modernist literature, originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is characterized by a self-conscious break with traditional ways of writing in both poetry and prose fiction writing."
Understanding the social, cultural, and political climate that gave rise to literary modernism, including events such as World War I, the rise of industrialization and urbanization, and the collapse of traditional value systems.
World War I: The impact of World War I on literature and society, including the disillusionment and trauma experienced by soldiers and civilians.
Industrialization and urbanization: The effects of industrialization and urbanization on society, including changes in social classes, economies, and cultural values.
Science and technology: The role of science and technology in literature and in shaping cultural attitudes, including the emergence of new scientific ideas and inventions.
Art and culture: The impact of modernist art and culture on literature, including the use of new techniques, themes, and styles.
Politics and society: The political and social changes of the early 20th century, including the rise of fascism, communism, and other political movements.
Nationalism and imperialism: The effects of nationalism and imperialism on literature, including representations of national identity and the conflicts between different cultures and nations.
Modernity and tradition: The tension between modernity and tradition in literature, including the relationship between tradition and innovation.
Gender and sexuality: The representation of gender and sexuality in modernist literature, including feminist and queer perspectives.
Race and ethnicity: The representation of race and ethnicity in modernist literature, including issues of colonialism and postcolonialism.
Psychology and consciousness: The exploration of the human mind and consciousness in literature, including psychoanalytic perspectives and the representation of mental illness.
Cultural Context: It refers to the social and cultural norms, values, beliefs, and customs of the time and place in which the literature was written.
Political Context: It refers to the political situation of the time, including the political events, movements, and ideologies that influenced the literary works.
Intellectual Context: It refers to the intellectual and philosophical trends and movements that influenced the literary works of the period.
Economic Context: It refers to the economic conditions and factors that shaped the literary works, such as economic depression, globalization, and industrialization.
Technological Context: It refers to the advancements in technology and their impact on the literary works, such as the invention of the telephone, radio, and television.
Gender Context: It refers to the roles and expectations of gender that existed at the time of writing and that influenced the literary works.
Post-war Context: After the devastation of World War I, many writers reflected on the loss of innocence and questioned their beliefs.
The Great Depression: The economic crisis in the world led to a sense of disillusionment and uncertainty.
Modernity: The development of new ideas, theories, and approaches that challenged traditional beliefs, including the liberation of women, Freud's ideas, and increasing autonomy.
World War II: The atrocities of World War II were a defining moment in history and shaped many literary works of the time.
The Roaring Twenties: The decade of the 1920s was marked by economic prosperity, cultural indulgence, and social change, all of which influenced Literary modernism.
Industrialization: The emergence of industries, mass production, and urbanization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries affected the literary works.
"Modernism experimented with literary form and expression, as exemplified by Ezra Pound's maxim to 'Make it new.'"
"This literary movement was driven by a conscious desire to overturn traditional modes of representation and express the new sensibilities of the time."
"The horrors of the First World War saw the prevailing assumptions about society reassessed, and much modernist writing engages with the technological advances and societal changes of modernity moving into the 20th century."
"In Modernist Literature, Mary Ann Gillies notes that these literary themes share the 'centrality of a conscious break with the past'."
"...one that 'emerges as a complex response across continents and disciplines to a changing world'."
"Characterized by a self-conscious break with traditional ways of writing."
"Ezra Pound's maxim to 'Make it new'."
"The horrors of the First World War."
"The prevailing assumptions about society reassessed."
"The technological advances and societal changes."
"Driven by a conscious desire to overturn traditional modes of representation."
"To express the new sensibilities of the time."
"Emerges as a complex response across continents and disciplines."
"In the late 19th and early 20th centuries."
"In both poetry and prose fiction writing."
"The horrors of the First World War."
"Express the new sensibilities of the time."
"Experimented with literary form and expression."
"The technological advances and societal changes of modernity moving into the 20th century."