Modern Western literature commenced from the 1890s. The high modernism began after the First World War. The architect Sir Edwin Lutyen visited the battlefields of north-eastern France in July 1917 in order to investigate the need for permanent memories to the vast number of dead. The post-war period was haunted by long memories, tender, angry, and sickening. Sir Lutyen says that poppies, cornflowers, skylarks and rats of the poetry had emerged from the war that effectively marked the end of an art which had once reached far comfortably to sympathetic images from nature.
New feelings started in politics, society and in art and literature after the First World War and its immediate aftermath. Virginia Woolf expressed this in 1924, “This is an accumulated sense of exhilaration at a variety of new beginnings and rejections of the past.” She refers to Samuel Butler’s The Way of All Flesh as an early symptom of cultural questioning and the plays of Shaw. Her paper “Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Brown” would probably have acknowledged the potent influence of the wider European innovations.
In 1910, there was an exhibition in London of the blazing colours and visual fragmentations of Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Gauguin organized by Roger Fry and the post-impressionists. The second exhibition in 1912 introduced the visual economics, the rethinking of form and the abstractions of Matisse, Picasso, Braque and Derain to the London public. It included English imitators Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and Russian artists. Diaghilev’s company organized an exhibition of Russian art works. This influenced European arts. It directed challenges to the vaunted refinement and urbanity of inherited aristocratic Western culture and to the emasculated nature of much of its old-tradition.
Table of Contents
- Chapter 1: Literary Modernism and English Fiction
Objectives and Key Themes
This text aims to explore the emergence and characteristics of literary modernism in English fiction during the early 20th century. It examines the historical and cultural context influencing this movement, analyzing its key features and impact on literary forms and styles.
- The impact of World War I on artistic and literary movements.
- The evolution of literary modernism as a reaction against traditional forms and ideas.
- The influence of artistic movements like Post-Impressionism on literary modernism.
- Key figures and groups within the modernist movement (e.g., Bloomsbury Group).
- The socio-political context shaping modernist literature in Britain.
Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1: Literary Modernism and English Fiction: This chapter provides a broad overview of literary modernism in early 20th-century England, tracing its roots to the aftermath of World War I. It discusses the profound impact of the war on the cultural landscape, highlighting a shift in sensibilities reflected in literature. The chapter notes the influence of artistic movements like Post-Impressionism, pointing to exhibitions in London that exposed the public to new visual styles and ideas. It examines the societal changes and evolving political climate, including the rise of the Labor Party and the General Strike of 1926, as significant factors shaping the literary output of the era. The role of new media, such as radio and cinema, is also considered in the context of changing cultural consumption patterns. The chapter introduces key modernist writers like Virginia Woolf, D.H. Lawrence, and others, emphasizing their innovative approaches to themes, characterization, narration, and language, setting the stage for a deeper examination of the modernist movement's complexities.
Keywords
Literary Modernism, English Fiction, World War I, Post-Impressionism, Bloomsbury Group, Virginia Woolf, D.H. Lawrence, Modern Art, Social and Political Context, New Media, Traditional vs. Modern Literary Forms.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of Literary Modernism in Early 20th Century England
What is the purpose of this text?
This text provides a comprehensive overview of literary modernism in English fiction during the early 20th century. It explores the movement's emergence, characteristics, historical and cultural context, key features, and impact on literary forms and styles.
What are the key themes explored in this text?
The text examines several key themes, including the impact of World War I on artistic and literary movements; the evolution of literary modernism as a reaction against traditional forms and ideas; the influence of artistic movements like Post-Impressionism; key figures and groups within the modernist movement (e.g., the Bloomsbury Group); and the socio-political context shaping modernist literature in Britain.
What is covered in Chapter 1: Literary Modernism and English Fiction?
Chapter 1 offers a broad overview of literary modernism in early 20th-century England, tracing its origins to the aftermath of World War I. It discusses the war's profound impact on the cultural landscape, the influence of artistic movements like Post-Impressionism, societal changes, the evolving political climate (including the rise of the Labor Party and the General Strike of 1926), and the role of new media (radio and cinema). Key modernist writers like Virginia Woolf and D.H. Lawrence are introduced, highlighting their innovative approaches to themes, characterization, narration, and language.
Who are some of the key figures mentioned in this text?
Key figures discussed include Virginia Woolf and D.H. Lawrence, as well as the Bloomsbury Group. The text also alludes to other key modernist writers, although they are not explicitly named in the provided summary.
What is the socio-political context discussed in relation to literary modernism?
The text highlights the significant influence of the socio-political context, specifically mentioning the aftermath of World War I, the rise of the Labor Party, the General Strike of 1926, and the impact of these events on the cultural landscape and literary production.
What is the influence of other art movements mentioned in relation to literary modernism?
The text emphasizes the influence of Post-Impressionism on literary modernism, citing the impact of exhibitions in London that exposed the public to new visual styles and ideas which were reflected in literary works.
What are the keywords associated with this text?
Keywords include Literary Modernism, English Fiction, World War I, Post-Impressionism, Bloomsbury Group, Virginia Woolf, D.H. Lawrence, Modern Art, Social and Political Context, New Media, and Traditional vs. Modern Literary Forms.
What is the overall scope of this text?
The text aims to provide a foundational understanding of literary modernism in early 20th-century England, offering a framework for further, more in-depth study. It's designed to introduce the key themes, figures, and historical contexts surrounding this significant literary movement.
- Quote paper
- Bs English Fayaz khan (Author), 2020, Literary modernism and English fiction, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/955791
