2. What is Postmodernism?What is Postmodernism?
It’s aIt’s a late 20late 20thth
century style and conceptcentury style and concept
in the art ,architecture and criticism ,in the art ,architecture and criticism ,
which represents a departure fromwhich represents a departure from
modernism and is characterized by themodernism and is characterized by the
self-conscious use of earlier styles andself-conscious use of earlier styles and
conventionsconventions..
It is theIt is the rejection of totalizing theoriesrejection of totalizing theories
and is defined by theand is defined by the death of meta-death of meta-
narrativesnarratives, suspicion and rejection of, suspicion and rejection of
master-narratives.master-narratives.
3. Historical BackgroundHistorical Background
The term Postmodernism was first used aroundThe term Postmodernism was first used around
the 1880s.the 1880s.
Watkins ChapmanWatkins Chapman suggested assuggested as “a Post-“a Post-
modern style of painting”.modern style of painting”.
J.M ThompsonJ.M Thompson used it in 1914 to describeused it in 1914 to describe
changes inchanges in attitudes and beliefs in the critique ofattitudes and beliefs in the critique of
religionreligion..
H.R HaysH.R Hays in 1942 describedin 1942 described it as a new literaryit as a new literary
form.form.
4. InfluenceInfluence::
The idea of Postmodernism beganThe idea of Postmodernism began
not only in literature but also innot only in literature but also in
music, architecture, painting andmusic, architecture, painting and
graphic designs etc.graphic designs etc.
5. Influential PostmodernistInfluential Postmodernist
Philosophers:Philosophers:
Martin Heidegger(1889-1976)Martin Heidegger(1889-1976)
Jacques Derrida(1930-2004)Jacques Derrida(1930-2004)
Michel Faucault(1926-1984)Michel Faucault(1926-1984)
Jean –Francois Lyotard(1924-Jean –Francois Lyotard(1924-
1998)1998)
Richard Rorty(1931-2007)Richard Rorty(1931-2007)
Jean Baudrillard(1929-2007)Jean Baudrillard(1929-2007)
Fredric JamesonFredric Jameson
Douglas KellnerDouglas Kellner
6. Key Concepts:Key Concepts:
Some of the important key concepts of Postmodernism eraSome of the important key concepts of Postmodernism era
areare::
Inter-textualityInter-textuality
Meta-fictionMeta-fiction
PastichePastiche
IronyIrony
FactionFaction
HyperrealityHyperreality
paranoiaparanoia
Post-World war IIPost-World war II
FragmentationFragmentation
Late capitalismLate capitalism
PlayfulnessPlayfulness
Temporal DistortionTemporal Distortion
Magical RealismMagical Realism
7. Characteristics:Characteristics:
No unity, social and cultural pluralism.No unity, social and cultural pluralism.
Multiple conflicting identities.Multiple conflicting identities.
Sense of fragmentation.Sense of fragmentation.
Anti-technology reaction.Anti-technology reaction.
Subverted order.Subverted order.
Loss of centralized control.Loss of centralized control.
Death of emotions, convictions, idealism,Death of emotions, convictions, idealism,
critic, discipline, death of everythingcritic, discipline, death of everything
Hyper-reality is here.Hyper-reality is here.
8. Some important concepts ofSome important concepts of
Postmodernists:Postmodernists:
““Hyper-reality” (Hyper-reality” (BaudrillardBaudrillard).).
“Death of grand narrative”“Death of grand narrative”
((LyotardLyotard).).
“Leaning of affect”, “Culture of late“Leaning of affect”, “Culture of late
capitalism”capitalism” (Fredric Jmeson(Fredric Jmeson).).
“Free Self” , “Schizoanalysis”“Free Self” , “Schizoanalysis”
“Productive Difference” (“Productive Difference” (GillesGilles
DeleuzeDeleuze).).
“Deconstruction” (“Deconstruction” (DerridaDerrida))
“Death of God” (Nietzsche)“Death of God” (Nietzsche)
9. Postmodern FictionPostmodern Fiction
1-1- Narrative fragmentationNarrative fragmentation andand
narrative reflexivity.narrative reflexivity.
2-2- AnAn open-ended playopen-ended play with formalwith formal
devices and narrative artifice.devices and narrative artifice.
3-3- TheThe displacement of realdisplacement of real byby
simulacra.simulacra.
4-4- AnAn abolition of the cultureabolition of the culture dividedivide
between high and popular forms ofbetween high and popular forms of
culture, embracing all in a melange;culture, embracing all in a melange;
10. Postmodern PoetryPostmodern Poetry
1-A resistance to preconceived forms1-A resistance to preconceived forms
dictating the arrangement ofdictating the arrangement of
language and ideas;language and ideas;
2-A challenge to the2-A challenge to the “Lyric“Lyric
Subject”.Subject”.
3-A suspicion of the3-A suspicion of the “Poetics of“Poetics of
presence”.presence”.
4-Commitment to a4-Commitment to a “Politics of“Politics of
referent”.referent”.
13. Postmodern Visual artPostmodern Visual art
1-1-Unconstrained use of colour andUnconstrained use of colour and
shapes.shapes.
22-It involves a return of the-It involves a return of the
vernacular.vernacular.
33-It displays the ego unrestrainedly-It displays the ego unrestrainedly
and demonstratively.and demonstratively.
44-It implies several styles rather-It implies several styles rather
than single strand of developmentthan single strand of development
like modernism.like modernism.
