This document provides an overview of modernism in art and design. It discusses how modernism emerged in the late 19th century as a break from traditional styles and focused on form, space, and functional design inspired by new technologies. Key aspects of modernism included simpler, less decorative designs based around materials and function rather than traditional aesthetics. One example discussed is the iconic Barcelona chair, which utilized new materials and structure in an innovative yet practical chair design.
1. An Essay on Modernism
Modernism describes the ideology of the art and design that were produced during the modernist
period. There has been a lot of controversy about when modernism started, yet many believe it
initiated sometime in the late 19th century and continued to the early 20th century. The modernist
movement was meant to be a break from traditions and it was set up to separate the value of certain
works from the conservative realism. For instance, Unlike the traditional art that was aesthetic, this
movement was more about space and form. In modernist design, shape and organization of products
and buildings were based on their functional requirements. As a result, designs became simpler
without the traditional decorative concepts. The idea behind the...show more content...
The chair utilizes the space and structure well and also is developed from a traditional idea into an
innovative modern design for a chair. This chair was famous for its new use of materials, in the
original design, the frame was made out of chrome steel and the upholstery was covered with white
kidskin and filled with cotton burlap and horsehair (Meadmore, 1997). This chair is still in
production for over eight decades.
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Moreover, I explained how each image is an example for the core principles of modernism as
mentioned in the overview. In brief, modernist design is innovative. Space, form and structure is
based on the functional requirements. Designs became simple and without overwhelming traditional
aesthetic concepts. Therefore, technology together with simpler design made the product easy to be
mass produced. After the first World War, designers in central Europe intended to change the world
for better through art by rejecting ornamentation as it resembled of the past generations whom
withstood the unpleasant effects of war and poverty (Smith, 2005). Dormer (1993) writes that:
'When intelligent designers of the late 19th or early 20th century looked at the anonymous artifacts
of 18th– and 19th–century industrialization, they saw great beauty in the simple, engineered
structures, and set
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2. Modernism In Modern Poetry
Modernism by definition is "a style or movement in the arts that aims to depart significantly from
classical and traditional forms". A movement which is undoubtedly a reflection of the fragmented
and collapsing Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, Modernism was a reaction to the world
in which it existed. Subsequent to the overly imaginative and emotive era of Victorianism,
Modernism was indeed a dramatic movement away from the changing values and ideas of the
Victorian world. What Modernist Literature essentially evoked in its audience was a sense of
dissolution with the world, a world which it believed held traditions in literature, art, science,
religion, among countless others, which were seen as incompatible with the current social...show
more content...
High Modernist Art was essentially born out of a conflated sense of both apocalyptic hopelessness
following The Great War, but also a desperate sense of hopefulness for the future. What is created
from this hope is this "panicky search for distraction or higher meaning" which we see quite
evidently in "The Waste Land". One such section of the poem which demonstrates this search for
meaning is in the first section "The Burial of the Dead". Switching between a number of different
narrators, this first section addresses much of the aforementioned devastation and destruction caused
after World War One and the search for meaning which followed it. Beginning with an aristocratic
voice, Eliot uses the first speaker to conjure up a set of memories from a pre–war era, set perhaps in
the Austro–Hungarian Empire with the speaker bearing some Royal patronage "And when we were
children, staying at the arch–duke's, My cousin's". Where this search for meaning is seen here is in
the speakers overall disillusionment with a world so far detached from what they had previously
existed in. What was once a time which "kept us warm, covering Earth in forgetful snow, feeding a
little life with dried tubers", now only bears bleakness and severity, made clear through the poem's
opening line "April is the cruellest month". The speaker is no doubt lost in a world
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3. Modernism was characterised by the deliberate departure from tradition. Modernism refers to the
periods interest in processes, expressing feelings and ideas in creating abstractions rather than reality.
Modern used to mean either the European Modernism, The International style, the functionalist,
anti–ornament, and start from zero. The dominant metaphor for modernism in the 20th century was
the machine, this stimulated the imaginations of many designers and architects living in
industrialised countries, they started to believe the machine could be a new way of living,
creating easier ways to commute and to mass produce products and designs. Modernism could be
seen as one of the most influential movement of the twentieth century. During the interwar years,
Modernism continued to pursue its goals of changing the world through the use of design and
machine. It was a time of scientific and technological advances, with machines changing the way
people lived. Life was beginning to change and become more interesting and almost easier with
the inventions being created such as the cars, planes and motion pictures. Modernism was not seen
as a style but as a large collection of ideas. The modernism movement rejected history and
encouraged abstraction, and experimentation. Largely rejecting the ideology of realism, a lot of
designs however weren't successful. Modernism was widely world spread, it was largely seen in
Germany and Holland, Switzerland, as well as in Moscow, Paris,
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4. Characteristics Of Modernism
PD4102 History of Design Report
Sam Van Dam
15172058
26th April 2016
Each period style, for instance, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Modernism, Post–modernism has certain
defining characteristics. Describe a period of your choice and define its traits.
Modernism is a period style which has many defining characterisitcs which will be talked about
throughout the course of this essay. The birth ofModernism ran between the 18th and 19th century
around the time of the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution caused very quick changes in
technology, manufacturing and transportation as well as other aspects.
These all had a massive affect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of life in Western
Europe, North America and eventually the rest of the world. (MoMa 2011) [Fig 1] The first railroad
train in Temecula,...show more content...
Other arts such as literature and music had massively changed, shaping the music we listen to and
the books we read to this day. The modernist period saw many composers start to experiment with
their music which was a change from the romantic period. The romantic period was very traditional
but in the early 20th century, composers had started to use new melodies and harmonies that were
considered unusual at the time.
One of the most famous musicians to thrive in the modernist period was the American composer
Aaron Copland. Some of his most famous work would be his compositions for the films 'Of Mice
and Men' and 'Our Town'. He very much went with the fast changing times that were happening
around him.
In his growth as a composer Copland mirrored the important trends of his time. After his return from
Paris, he worked with jazz rhythms in Music for the Theater (1925) and the Piano Concerto (1926).
(Britannica 2016)
This is what led Copland to work on project such as film scores as during the early to mid 20th
century, as the art of film had become very
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5. Neoclassicism Vs. Modernism Essay
Igor Stravinsky makes for a first–class example of differences and similarities between
neoclassicism and modernism. Modernism is defined as "A term used in music to denote a
multi–faceted but distinct and continuous tradition within 20th–century composition"1, while
neoclassicism may be defined as "A movement of style in the works of certain 20th–century
composers, who, particularly during the period between the two world wars, revived the balanced
forms and clearly perceptible thematic processes of earlier styles to replace what were, to them, the
increasingly exaggerated gestures and formlessness of late Romanticism"2 By not only comparing
his works to others but within his own body of work the two movements can be better...show more
content...
In addition to asymmetrical rhythms the use of polytonality is vibrant throughout the piece
especially in the introduction which begins with different clarinets playing polytonal. Stravinsky
structured The Rite very differently, melody was not the only dominant feature of the piece, other
features such as the fore mentioned polytonality and asymmetrical rhythms were also at the
dominant features of the piece. By breaking from many common practices of his own and of the
time, Stravinsky created a piece slated in modernism's history. While The Rite was a piece of
modernist material, Stravinsky later moved on to neoclassicism, Pulcinella greatly represents a small
portion of Stravinsky's neoclassical repertoire. Like Stravinsky his contemporary in another art form
was Pablo Picasso, interestingly enough he played a huge part in the design of the visuals in
Pulcinella. Both emphasize or accentuate certain features within their works. Where Stravinsky
may accentuate his neoclassical works with features from his predecessors, Picasso accentuates his
art with his perceptions, such as his Stravinsky portrait that cast's Stravinsky with a very large
body, a small head but a rather large nose. Both emphasized certain themes within their works of
art. Pulcinella, is also often compared to Schoenberg's Pierrot lunaire, an earlier piece set to seven
poems and performed in sprechstimme. While Pulcinella was a ballet performed in a
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6. Modernism Essay examples
Modernism
Modernism is defined in Merriam–Webster's Dictionary as "a self–conscious break with the past and
a search for new forms of expression." While this explanation does relate what modernism means,
the intricacies of the term go much deeper. Modernism began around 1890 and waned around
1922. Virginia Wolf once wrote, "In or about December, 1910, human character changed." (Hurt
and Wilkie 1443). D.H. Lawrence wrote a similar statement about 1915: "It was 1915 the old
world ended." (Hurt and Wilkie 1444). The importance of the exact dates of the Modernist period
are not so relevant as the fact that new ideas were implemented in the era. Ideas that had never
before been approached in the world of literature suddenly began emerging...show more content...
Stepping outside of the box, they wrote what they perceived in their own minds to be reality. The
readers in turn were given a new form of literature that was not written on the basis of beliefs that
earlier had seemed indisputable. Not only were old belief systems disregarded, they were openly
opposed. Even more surprising, the new thoughts were acceptable, and in turn provided an
alternative route for thinking that had not formerly been considered.
Anti–Realism is another feature of Modernism. This element included the use of myth and allusion
in writing. Description was a prominent feature in literature before the Modernist period; writers
had set the scene using an exactness that left little room for a reader's imagination. With Modernism
emerged the allusion, which meant that only certain aspects of the setting or scene were revealed.
This provided freedom for the reader to think about what the author was presenting through the text.
The work was created through the inner feelings and workings of the characters and the symbols
hidden in the plot and setting. The way themes and points of view were selected went against the
earlier convention also. Sigmund Freud's Interpretation of Dreams in 1899 opened the door to
previously undiscovered value in the human unconscious. This led to a whole new emphasis of
individualism in both the writer and the reader, who were given free reign to explore not only who
a character was
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7. Modernity And Modernism Essay
Traditionality And Modernity Younger generations in the 1920s wanted to be different than their
parents. Traditionalists are people who have a deep respect for long–held traditions and cultural and
religious values while modernists are people who embrace new ideas, social trends, and styles. In
this case, they wanted to be more modern rather than stick with traditional values and ways of life,
and they wanted to embrace new cultures too. The John Scopes Trial is an example of how one
man wanted to be more modern and teach something new to younger generations. A high school
biology teacher, John Scopes, was put on trial for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution in a
Tennessee public school. It was a modernist idea, teaching something...show more content...
The prohibition was made legal by the 18th amendment and was enforced in 1920. It prohibited
the production and distribution of alcohol and traditionalists believed that alcohol was the cause
of all the violence and crime. On the other hand, modernists believed that the prohibition was a
way the government could control everything. People were still able to obtain alcohol during this
time, though, and they gathered together in speakeasies which were secret drinking
establishments where they were free to drink without getting caught. Flapper dancers are an
example of modernism during this time too. People were opposed to women becoming more
independent, but flapper dancers represented a change in society for American women. They
wore shorter skirts that showed more skin, they cut their hair short, wore makeup, they drank,
smoke, curse, and listened to jazz. They also participated in petting parties which were parties
where couples would hug and kiss. Women who did these things were considered unacceptable
by society. They were considered a new breed because they did what they wanted when they
wanted and didn't care what other people thought of them. They rejected old traditions and ideas
and instead were in favor of new ones. When you make rules that not everyone approves of, they're
going to protest against it and do things that contradict it. Charlie Chaplin was a popular figure of
the 1920s. He was a big part of the Silent Era, which is when he rose to fame.
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9. Modernism Essay
Modernism
"An inclination to subjective distortion to point up the evanescence of the social world of the
nineteenth century bourgeoisie."
–Barth, "Literature of Replenishment" (www.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0255.html)
Modernism was rebellion against not only the repressive principles of the Victorian era but also the
emergence of the fast–changing, materialistic corporate society. The period preceding modernism
held up Victorian virtues, which accepted the worldview of everything being ordered, neat, stable,
and meaningful. While fundamentally optimistic, Victorian culture featured hypercritical moralism
as it had a very narrow, strict...show more content...
Stream–of–consciousness writing employed by Joyce and Woolf and other expressions of inward
consciousness in narration threw asunder the safeguard of the reliability of the narrator and required
active contemplation by the readers. Perspective assumed a far greater importance in literature as
writers offered more impressionistic work without omniscient narrators and clean resolutions.
The proliferation of the experimental spirit in modernist works of literature often alienated popular
readership, and such exclusivity served as a mark of quality to a certain extent as it went in hand
with the modernist intellectuals' disdain towards the mass–consumption–driven popular culture.
Modernist intellectuals rejected popular culture, as they perceived that creating work that would be
universally accepted often involved certain sacrifices of their genius and ultimately degraded art.
The movement was certainly not egalitarian in nature. Modernism in fact strayed away from the idea
of thinking in terms of groups, opting instead to focus on the individual. It strove for
self–knowledge, and the almost narcissistic interest in the self led to the "spiritual alienation,
self–exile, and cultural criticism" that pervaded the period.
The place that Hemingway and Fitzgerald occupied in literary modernism is difficult to pinpoint.
They both dabbled with modernist writing styles earlier
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10. The Modernism Movement Essay
Modernism started as a movement around late 19th and 20th centuries. It rejected the conventional
forms of art, architecture, literature, religious faith, social organisation and everyday life as they felt
it was incompatible with the new economical, social and political conditions that was emerging at
that period of time. Many distinctive styles can be defined as modernist, but majority of them had
very similar values and theories on different aspects of society. It gave birth to a whole array of art,
cultural and political movements. Often referred to as an avant–garde movement at that time, it was
a loose assembly of ideas. They believed in creating a better world. Mainly consisting of left–leaning
political ideology followers, they had...show more content...
The book cover illustration by John Heartfield for instance is another image that springs up as
modernist illustration. The image simply is of a human like figure but the elements of the body
parts are made up of various mechanical accessories e.g. clock, levers, meters, etc. Modernist's
were convinced, technology was the way forward and the image in particular echoed that ethos.
The poster designed by Adolphe Mouron Cassandre for the "Nord Express" was one of the iconic
image during the later part of modernist era. The image has certain identical mark–making traits with
other illustrators working around same period of time. The poster itself in some sense advocates
industrialisation. The bold colours and figurative lines demonstrates the strength of industrialised
future. Equality, and the desire to create a utopian world was one of the underlying principles of the
modernists. George Grosz's images often attacked the class system that was occurring in Berlin. The
caricature drawings of the elite capitalist bankers and the disillusioned lower class people illustrated
the critical problem in the society that made the movement ever progressive. "Arrangement" – New
York (1925) was a lithograph print of a heavily industrialised cityscape by Jan Matulka. Modernist
architects were fascinated by the idea of simplicity in design, functionality and rejection of ornament,
decoration, etc. The image underlines those ethics they maintained.
'In the
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11. The Impact Of Modernism
Jonathan Glance , author of the book 20th Century Architecture ; The Structures That Shaped The
Century describes modernism as " an attitude rather than a style " an attempt to free the architect
from the rules of convention. Form following function was an attribute adopted by architectural
modernists. As a result of this, modern architecture is no longer ornamentally focused but uses
materials such as concrete, glass, steel and wood for functional construction. With reference to Le
Corbusier and his architectural masterpiece, Ville Savoye, this essay will discuss and analyze the
impact the industrial revolution had on modernism, the influence the Bauhaus had on architectural
development, social and economical effects that influenced social trends, how modernism was
received and reviewed by society and why the modernist dream ultimately failed.
The Industrial Revolution was a period of time that gave birth to a...show more content...
Decompartmentation is made up of three aspects: ascetics technics and society.
Decompartmentation is when things that are normally categorized into groups are now not
distributed but used together in order to achieve a desired result. He believed that design could be
used as a solution to solve the alienation in modern, urban society and thus using
decompartmentalization in linking social problems and design to create a solution. It was meant to
'improve the population who consumed it' states Greenhalgh when discussing his views on
modernism. Due to this critic it reiterates that Le Corbusier did initially solve many of the social
issues such as creating more land space by building upwards, building houses out of cheaper
materials to help provide to those effected by the economic crisis and creating houses without
ornamentation. However due to his neglect in focusing on the comfort of people living in these
houses his work was
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12. Modernism And Its Impact On Society
After the events of WWII, to say that America had changed drastically was an understatement; with
the entirety of the Cold War, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and all the other political strife at home
and abroad, America during this time could be considered an era of conflicting ideals. As a result of
this change of times, literature changed it's perspective; effectively, the transition from modernist
ideals to postmodernist ideals. Much like modernism, however, post–modernism offered to reject
ideals presented by both prior literary trends and the popular ideas of their time; yet for
postmodernism, the rejection mostly dealt with homogeneity (a conformed universal standard
defined by advancements in American quality of life) and how literature deconstructs the ideas of
homogeneity (Byam 2259–2260). Yet many of these deconstructions during this era ended up
clashing due to increased influences of psychological and sociological advancements, which gave
better understanding of human nature; which then lead to a major schism between literary writers
and critics. As a result, many writers during that era flourished from that clash of ideals (albeit long
after their works were published); yet one, in particular, stands out: Flannery O'Connor. Specifically,
O'Connor is a notable postmodernist American writer out of her own take of the movement: a witty
deconstruction of conventional regionalist tropes. Flannery O'Connor, to briefly summarize her life,
was born in Savannah, Georgia
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13. A Thesis On Modernism
Brian Blair–Whitaker
LA LIT 4 H B1
Ms. Gladstone
2/16/18
Modern Thesis Paper
During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, changes in the dynamics of society caused
intellectuals to question the traditions of everyday life. From religious views to the arts of
literature, traditional values and forms were rejected, thus defining a line between the two time
periods, which can be considered as the start of the Modern era. Also known as Modernism, the
modern era used literature as an outlet for expressing the thoughts and feelings of the time. Modern
texts use city life, industrialization and globalization, and ironic and satirical themes to showcase
their bleak outlook on life post both world wars. The nature of these events are aspects of society
...show more content...
The mistrust of the world which is at the center of modernism can be attributed to the world wars
and the psychological effect that it had on the individual. The horrors and violence altered public
perceptions of life, a change that is evident within writers of the time period. The focus of writing
shifted from the outward world to inner thoughts and feelings and overall representation of an
individual's stream of consciousness which are themes associated with modern text. In "Impact of
Modernism", focuses on the idea that world needed new outlets for expression and in finding them
rejected the tradition that was already there with the quote, "Many modernists believed that by
rejecting tradition they could discover radically new ways of making art." (Impact) .The world no
longer had the beauty it once did so a a discovery of new arts were needed. The mind of an
individual became that new found inspiration and beauty that modern writers needed and for that
reason it was one of the main focuses of modern
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14. Modernism and Post Modernism
Have you ever wondered what the differences are between the modernism and post modernism? It
seems like it would be easy to describe what they are by the words and what they are usually
associated with. Yet, it's actually a lot different then your thinking. Modernism is the movement in
visual arts, music, literature, and drama, which rejected the old Victorian standards of how art should
be made, consumed, and what it should mean. Modernists want the absolute truth in everything.
While on the other hand, Post Modernism is relating to, or being any of several movements (as in
art, architecture, or literature) that are reactions against the philosophy and practices of modern
movements and are marked by revival...show more content...
There seems to be no need for mistake in what they are doing and proceeding this way will fix any
misconceptions they may have with the human body and war combat.
A man once lived by the name of Wilfred Owen and he wrote of the waste of human life and
resources in the events of war. He also felt that is was overly barbaric to involve oneself with war.
When you read through his poem reading 6.7, he explains to you the horror and reality of what is
actually going on in the battlefield. The first few lines give you the feeling of what the men are
going through. Line five and six explain that, "Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots, but
limped on, blood–shod. All went lame, all blind". Owen points out that there is no beauty in dying
for your country and that it is all a lie on what has been made a reality for many. What's ironic
about it all is that the poet died in combat at only 25 years old. Thus, making it that much more real
in what he is trying to push across the minds of other people with this poem. It's not just another
poem it's reality.
Postmodernism shows its face in many ways. One painting that I picked that you might find
interesting is figure 36.2. Betye Saar portrays what looks to be Aunt Jemima in a fashion that goes
completely against what she was first introduced as being. When you think of this famous face you
would
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15. Modernism : Modernism And Modernism
1. Art has evolved over the last century moving from Modernism to Postmodernism. Modernism 's
birth is somewhat controversial but our text puts it at 1910. Paul Cezanne, who was closely tied
with Cubism, has been credited as one of the fathers of Modernism. A lot was changing during this
period which produced a slew of new styles such as, Post Impressionism, Symbolism, and
Surrealism to name a few. Modernism thrived from the early 20th century until the period denoted
by World War II at which point it fell out of favor. Modernism was characterized by a trust in
science/rationalism, celebrating change brought on by the industrial revolution, and a move away
from magic and religion. This began to change after World War II when artists began to question
how could such a terrible thing could have happened. A new style of art formed which was called
Postmodernism, which is believed to have taken hold in the 1980s, where artists rejected science
/rationalism, questioned authority, were critical of progress, examined moral codes, and were
skeptical. This new style is better thought of as strategy for making art since it appears in many
forms using a wide variety of materials and techniques. It has been described as, "creating visually
interesting, messy, sometimes contrary, and often political images that mock the rules ofModern art
." (Stokstad & Cothren 2011) They are like modern day djs taking material from multiple sources
and combining them in a unique way to
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16. Defining Modernism Essay
Defining Modernism
Modernism described as movement in arts would best be described as a movement that was used
to unit America after a period of crisis, it did this by it being centered on explorations into the
spiritual nature of men and the value of his society and institutions. In a way it was like realism
they too focused on the changes on society. The modernistic writers always wrote in a very formal
defined form.
Modernism also played a very important role as a movement in poetry. The way modernism did
this was it brought so much more opportunity to the poet as a way of writing. The poet is now
able to express themselves in new ways. If it was not for modernism who knows if we would be
talking about the works of Emily...show more content...
Modernists like realists both wanted to paint an unbiased, accurate picture of society by confronting
the problems of the individual and of the society. The only difference in the two is the difference in
societies. These principles could be called the tenents of Modernism.
My working definition of modernism would be a movement in American Literature that allowed
writers to be able to express themselves but at the same time be able to celebrate the changes that are
accruing around them. This movement also allowed poets to write about anything that they saw
which was thought to be modern. In short I guess it is somewhat safe to say that their writings
reflect ongoing changes that are occurring in their society.
As far representative themes go my definition ties into that. In nineteen thirty Hart Crane made a
visionary pilgrimage though America's geographical and emotional space. Around this time Crane
published his epic poem The Bridge, which celebrates the Brooklyn Bridge as both an architectural
achievement and a symbol of American modernity. Because of the type of descriptive writing that
was being used the voice in the writings were in deep detail and strong emphasis on words were
also used to help get the point across.
This time in American Literature is a very important one. Without this strong movement we today
would not have the please of being
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17. The modernist period in British and Irish literature was one of the most important and exciting times
in literary history. The term modernist stemmed from the beginning of the 20th century labelled the
modern period. The modern period was a time of confusion and transitions, mostly due to the result
of people returning from World War I. The modern period was an era of massive unemployment and
technological changes. Freud, Jung, and Marx were redefining human identity, Assembly lines and
factories were being introduced, and gender differences were starting to crumble. The modern
period was a time of change, and the field of Literature was no exception. Susan Gorsky, in her book
titled Virginia Woolf, states that " Virginia Woolf perhaps
...show more content...
Poetry, Drama, and fiction were subjected to intensive scrutiny and extensive redefinition, producing
some of the most unusual and often difficult literary creations in English: Eliot's Wasteland, Yeat's
Plays for Dancers, and the fiction of Joyce and Lawrence is some examples. Modernist literature
reflects in it's structure as well as in it's content the overturning of tradition; the instances upon new
design produced plays and stories without plots or recognizably human characters, poems without
rhyme or meter"(16, 17). The Modernist author was able to identify with their audience by creating
stories that not only asked important questions, but also got under the reader's skin. In George
Orwell's essay titled Inside the Whale, he addresses the fact that James Joyce's Ulysses is remarkable
due to the fact of its "commonplaceness of its material." (Inside The Whale and Other Essays,
11). The reader is able to put themselves in the characters shoes, the characters are very three
dimensional, and like modern life their stories are not so much like a fairy tales, as they are of
everyday life. The character Joyce creates in Ulysses enters many different states of consciousness,
dream states, drunkenness.... demonstrating the ability modern literature has in relating the ideas of
consciousness, in a way that the reader would be able to identify with. Orwell goes further to say
that Ulysses was filled with a "Whole
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18. The Movement Of Modernism
Modernism was a movement in literature, art, and music that began with the thought that everything
there was to be written had already been written. Modernist writers believed that in order to create
new works, they needed to create a completely new genre, using new styles of writing. These writers
wanted to differentiate themselves from past literary movements, especially those of the Victorian
era, dated roughly from 1837 to 1901 (Kirschen). Although Modernism was a collective movement,
Modernists came from all different walks of life. Modernists also come together on one important
issue, the push to form something new. They felt that in the new time of industrialism, old ideas of
traditionalism were becoming quickly outdated. Modernists, in literature at least, were people who
wanted to create a new relationship between reader and author. Generally, though, Modernists aimed
to create a new form of expression. To define Modernism as a "general movement in literature,
...show more content...
In the time before the nineteenth century, most artists were commissioned by wealthy people, or
large foundations such as the church. In turn, this caused most of the art from the previous time
period to depict religious scenes, intended to teach the viewer. In the Modern period, artists began
creating things that interested them, using people, places, and ideas that captivated them. Many
artists were influenced by the publication of Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams and in
turn began investigating their dreams and symbolism as ways to create new works of art. Many
modern artists challenged the thought pattern that art was meant to portray the world realistically.
They tried out new uses of color and brand new materials. Artists used many new techniques and
mediums as a means of producing new art, especially with the invention of photography.
Photography made it possible to depict the world in new ways, and to reinterpret it
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19. Effects Of Modernism
The Modernist era was a social and cultural movement characterised by rapid social and
technological change in the 19th and 20th century. The art movement revolved around a group of
innovative artists and art critics who challenged preconceived ideas about what "good" art was, and
redefined expectations. Modernism affected the ideas and practices of artists, increasing the attitude
of the Avant–Garde – to be original. Abstraction was explored visually and artists moved away from
pictorial realism, bringing into focus new techniques and acceptances. Abstract Expressionist was the
final sub–era of Modernism. Artists started to view painting as a performance or experience, rather
than a reproduction of an object – real or imagined. It was...show more content...
He aimed to distil the core essence of each artwork through visual vocabulary; using non–genre
based subject matter such as distorted shapes, squiggles and motifs. For example, in his painting
'Composition IV, 1911, Kandinsky has partially disguised symbols of subject matter from the
outside world, such as boats, reclining figures, and a castle on a hilltop, beneath vibrant blocks of
colour and harsh black lines. The notion of battle is conveyed in the chaos of the composition
particularly in the way Kandinsky has juxtaposed the clashing vibrant high key colours, with the
calm of the flowing forms. This alludes to the peace and redemption to
follow. Kandinsky's formalistic approach to the biomorphic painting – with a specific focus on
colour, shape and arrangement – was challenging to the deeply ingrained notion that subject matter
was required to tell a narrative and realistically represent society. Kandinsky was criticised for
devaluing art in the Modernist era and promoting the notion of "art for art's sake" due to the
abstract nature of his work. However he argued that such artwork could create a corresponding thrill
or contrast of emotion in the audience. He said "Such works of art at least preserve the soul from
coarseness; they "key it up...as tuning–key the strings of a musical instrument." He aimed to reveal
the inner life
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20. Essay on Modernism in Literature
The turn of the 20th century conveyed revolution in psychological, social, and philosophical thought.
It was time for something neoteric. It was time to break out of the mundane tradition. This time of
revolution conceded men, such as Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, and Sigmund Freud, to rise to fame
with their radical and cutting edge theories. Also, women were exasperated of their modeled roles in
society. They sought to be independent, they longed to have the ability to vote, and most of all, they
wanted legal equality. This time period also brought the renewal of European expansion. With new
motivations, such as economic motivations, social imperialism, and the new theories of racial
superiority, the British empire began concentrating on...show more content...
The space in between the front lines of the defenders and the attackers was known as "No Man's
Land". ("Trench Warfare") Thousands of battle hardened soldiers would put their lives on the line
by running into this "no man's land", just to win a few feet in the battle of the frontline. This led to
hundreds of thousands of casualties just to gain two or three feet on the battlefield. There is no
better picture of this theory of irrational creatures than in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, which
was published in 1902. ("Heart of Darkness") This novella is the story of a man, Marlow, who
gathers a crew of sailors to journey down to the Congo, in British controlled Africa. As Marlow
and his men begin the adventure down the river, they are soon given a mission to capture Mr.
Kurtz, the best ivory extractor in all of Africa. The problem is, Kurtz has gone crazy, and his
methods have gone tribal. The corporation believes he has gone insane. It's not until Marlow
finally gets to Kurtz through a very trying journey, that he realizes Kurtz's actions are like the rest
of ours, except Kurtz was tired of hiding behind civilization. Marlow realizes that we are all evil
and we are all corrupt, but we attempt to hide it with civilization. "The horror, the horror" (Conrad)
are Kurtz last words he utters to Marlow before he dies. Kurtz realizes the life of evil he has lived, the
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