Overview

Modernism was a radical break with the past in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In literature, it responded to the horrors of World War I and the rapid industrialization of society by rejecting traditional narrative forms and embracing fragmentation, stream of consciousness, and ambiguity.

Core Idea

The core idea of Modernism is “Make it new” (Ezra Pound). Modernists believed that the old ways of storytelling (linear plots, omniscient narrators) could no longer capture the fractured, chaotic reality of the modern world.

Formal Definition

Modernism is a philosophical and art movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In literature, it is characterized by a self-conscious break with traditional styles of poetry and verse.

Intuition

Imagine a mirror that has been shattered. Traditional realism tries to glue the pieces back together to show a coherent reflection. Modernism leaves the pieces on the floor and asks you to look at the reflection in each shard, acknowledging that a unified view of the world is no longer possible.

Examples

  • “Ulysses” by James Joyce: Uses stream of consciousness to depict a single day in Dublin, paralleling the Odyssey.
  • “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot: A fragmented, allusive poem capturing the disillusionment of the post-war generation.
  • “To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf: Explores the subjectivity of time and the interior lives of characters.

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: Modernism is just “weird for the sake of being weird.”
    • Correction: The difficulty of Modernist texts is a deliberate attempt to mirror the complexity and difficulty of modern consciousness.
  • Misconception: Modernism is the same as Contemporary.
    • Correction: Modernism refers to a specific historical period (roughly 1900-1950). We are now in a Post-Modern or Metamodern era.
  • Stream of Consciousness: A narrative mode or method that attempts “to depict the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind” of a narrator.
  • Postmodernism: A late-20th-century movement that extended and critiqued Modernism, often embracing irony and pop culture.
  • Avant-Garde: People or works that are experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.

Applications

  • Artistic Innovation: Paved the way for almost all subsequent experimental art.
  • Psychological Realism: Deepened the ability of literature to represent the human mind.

Criticism and Limitations

  • Elitism: Modernist works can be notoriously difficult and inaccessible to the average reader, often requiring extensive education to decode.
  • Nihilism: Often criticized for its bleak, fragmented view of human existence.

Further Reading

  • The Modern Mind: An Intellectual History of the 20th Century by Peter Watson
  • Modernism: A Guide to European Literature 1890-1930 by Malcolm Bradbury