The document discusses the key characteristics of modern literature. Modernism represented a strong break from tradition and established views. Modern literature emphasized individual perspectives over absolute truths, and celebrated inner strength. It was an international, interdisciplinary movement. The modern age saw rational thinking and the rise of mass communication. Literature exhibited stream of consciousness and changing perceptions of language. Experimentation was valued. The two world wars had a major influence and created disillusionment. Psychology also impacted literature through concepts like stream of consciousness. There was growing interest in the working class and social issues.

1. General Characteristics of Modern Literature
Presented by- Divya Choudhary
Class- M A
Semester- 3
Paper no.- 9
paper name – Modern Literature
Batch Year- 2015-17
Enrolment No.- PG15101007
Email id- choudharydivya400@gmail.com
Submitted to- Smt. S B Gardi Department of
English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar
University

2. What is Modernism?
Strong and international break with tradition
against established religious, political, social views
 No connection with history or institution
 No things as absolute truth-all are relative
 People make their own meaning in the world
Rise of mass communication
Celebration of inner strength
It was International and interdisciplinary
movement

3. Modern Age
• Totally opposite from Victorian age
• Believed in rational thinking
• Prose created the most(bitter satire, scientific fiction, realistic)
• World war first and second create chaotic situation in society and
literature.
• Anti war literature and absurd theatre
• Includes science and psychology –impact of colonialism
• New term AVANT-GARDE introduce
• The Modern Age is the most complex, complicated, baffling and
revolutionary age in the history of the world.
• The modern period has been a period of significant development in
the field of Science, Politics, Warfare and technology.

4. Characteristic of Modernism in
Literature
 Literature exhibits perspectives
- meaning comes from the individuals perspective
 Interiority is represented
- inner psychology, stream of consciousness
 Perception of language change
- language is “thick” with multiple meaning
 Emphasis on the experimental
- open ending
• Note of pessimism, disillusionment and melancholy in
writing.
• Sense of fragmentation and loss of faith.
• Use of symbol and scientific methodology.
• Reflection of the modern chaos and confusion.
• The decay of plot and characters in writing.
• Passion for humanity and humanitarianism.

5. General Characteristic of Modern
Age
 Anxiety and interrogation
-Freedom of thought and action, rational thinking
 Art for art sake
-concentration on the problem of modern life, role of realism
 Growing interest in the poor class and the working class
-(poor) challenge to the social conscience
 Impact of socio-economic condition on literature
-raised voice against poverty, change the pattern of economic
thinking, Marxism influence on literature
- Anxiety and Interrogation
-Art for life’s sake
-Growing interest in the poor class and the working class
- Psychology and literature
- The impact of socio-economic conditions on literature
-The influence of Radio, Cinema and Television
- The impact of the Two World Wars

6.  Psychology and literature
- New theory of psychology “stream of
consciousness”
 The impact of the two world wars
- Second war has influence on man and human
life, anti-war
book
 Symbolism, formalism, individuality and
absurdity
 Experimentation was one of the finest
qualities of this age

7. Anxiety and Interrogation
* It is called the age of anxiety and
interrogation.
* Men and Women showed an
extraordinary enthusiasm for
speculation, experiment and reform.
* The mood of persistent scepticism
and interrogation has increased
disproportionately for want of a new
set of values.

8. Art for Life’s Sake
•They rejected the doctrine of “art
for art’s sake”. They evovled the
creed of “art for life’s sake”, or at
least for the sake of the
community.
• The poetry and prose of this
period turned to a serious mood
and had a definite purpose.

9. VICTORIANART MODERNART

10. Victorian Art Modern Art

11. Growing interest in the poor class
and the working class
• The mid-Victorian writers, Dickens.
• Thackeray, Kingsley, Reade, Mrs.
Gaskell etc. were critical of the
injustice done to the poor working
classes.
• Bernard Shaw, who questioned
everything , spread for at least a
generation “ the interrogative habit of
mind”.

12. The Influence of Radio, Cinema
and a Television
Edward Albert
•“ In so far as the radio stories, plays
and literary discussions and opened up
an entirely new field for authors, its
influence was for the good…….at the
same time it must be remembered that
film techniques were the basis of a
number of experiments in the novel”

13. Psychology and Literature
* New psychological researches influenced
literature. Intellectual convictions appeared
to be rationalizations of emotion needs.
• The modern age may be termed as the age of
rationalization in sexual behavior.
• The new theory of psychology and sex gave
us “ the stream of consciousness novel.

14. Conclusion
* Age of science and scientific
discoveries
* Reconstruction of new values
* Because of political turmoil
revolutionary ideologies rise: Facism,
Nazism, communism takes place