Modernism

Modernism is about experiment -> make it new (Ezra Pound). Form becomes important.
Emotion is different from te emotion in !"
t
-centur# no$e%s (were te re%ation wit te
socia% wor%d is exp%ored). Modernism is about te sub&ecti$e inner wor%d of te indi$idua%. ->
a sift.
'# te can(e of focus)
- a new perception of space and time* a fee%in( of bein( uprooted
- cosmopo%itanism
- te rapid de$e%opment of tecno%o(#
- industria%ization* te dec%ine of te rura% wa# of %i$in(.
Modernism + a kind of rebe%%ion a(ainst te o%d re(ime. , po%itica% unrest (nationa%ist
mo$ements* assassinations)
Modernism or Modernisms) Modernism - associated wit different cities. /ienna* Paris*
0ondon1 associated wit particu%ar fi(ures* a%% of wom came out wit manifestoes.
2merican Modernism
2t te end of te !"
t
centur#* 342 was te %eadin( countr# in tecno%o(ica% de$e%opment.
2%% te empires were intact (wit te exception of te 5ttoman empire). 6n 2merica tere was
notin( to fi(t a(ainst* notin( to oppose. Paradoxica%%#* 2merica sou%d a$e been te
centre of Modernism. 7rou( te wo%e !"
t
centur#. a business cu%ture. Modernism cou%d
not p%a# te ro%e of socia% a$ant-(arde and su((est a new wa# of %ife. 6t was rater a
continuation of te rebe%%ion a(ainst te business cu%ture of 2merica (tis rebe%%ion started
wit 8enr# 9ames wo was preoccupied wit te point of $iew* wit te consciousness of one
sin(%e caracter* wit form).
Modernism ended wit ''66.
7e !":;s - 7e <eat =eneration.
2merican Modernist writers and poets.
!
st
(eneration. Ezra Pound* 7. 4. E%iot* =ertrude 4tein* '. >. 'i%%iams
?
nd
(eneration. 8emin(wa#* Fitz(era%d.
>ities of 2merican Modernism.
!) >ica(o -> 4erwood 2nderson (wo introduced te ideas of Freud in 2merican
%iterature). 7e >ica(o @enaissance - in te ear%# #ears of te ?;
t
c.). 0iterar# ma(azines.
7e 6%%inois poets.
?) Aew Bork -> 2%fred 4tie(%itz. 0iterar# sa%ons. 0iterar# ma(azines.
7e pi%osop# of Modernism -> (oin( back to primar# sensations.
Pi%osopica% ideas tat inf%uenced 2merican Modernism.
!. 'i%%iam 9ames. 7e idea tat tere is no one sin(%e trut. 'en we percei$e te wor%d (raw
sensations)* a%% our perceptions are processed trou( our minds and te resu%t is a different
wor%d picture on te basis of experiences. 7e idea tat tere is no sin(%e trut came to
exp%ain te can(es in te wor%d. 7e writers turned to te inner wor%d of te caracters* teir
emotions.
?. 9on Cewe# -> interna%izin( te socia%.
D. Franz <oas - fater of contemporar# antropo%o(#. 2ccordin( to im - no difference
between te minds of primiti$e and ci$i%ized peop%e. 7is idea inf%uenced te writers of
te 8ar%em @enaissance.
2merican Modernism - oter inf%uences.
!. 9azz - it was experimenta%* a ce%ebration of te sensua%.
?. ''6 -> te 0ost =eneration. Aotin( can(ed after te war* so man# #oun( peop%e died
in $ain. -> 7e rea%ization tat tere cou%d be no tomorrow* tin(s are precarious* teres
notin( to fi(t for* to be%ie$e in -> te @oarin( ?;s. edonistic en&o#ment -> becomin(
expatriates.