General Characteristics of 20th century literature

 

Hello readers... Welcome to  my  blog ...

      

   In this blog  I'm going discuss about general characteristics of 20th century  or modern age literature.It is part of my  study task and activity. 

 

  Introduction : -

                   As we know  there are many periods in English literature,like Elizabethan age which is considered as a golden age. After that Puritan age, Restoration age, Neo-classical age Romantic and Victorian age. Modern age is coming after the Victorian era. There are some changes which people don't like in Victorian period. So that's why  we can see  different ages in English literature which we can  also find in other literature like  Gujarati. So let's see some  characteristics of the Modern Age.

Let's first what is the Modernism ...?

     

        The early decade of the 20th century, we can say  period of World War 1is known as Modern age. Before it there was a Victorian era. So in this time, time of modernism such thing were taken changes they  breck to write in traditional way and write in new way. But as reality coin has two side so we can see bad or negative side as well as Positive side.

Ezra Pound: "Make it new."

    Here some characteristics :-

 

      Use of language in different way 

 

Realism 

 Nothingness

 Fragmantation

 Effect of World War 

 Industrialisation 

 Radio -T. V. 

 

    Stream of consciousness (in literature) Science andInnovation Passism No Blind Faith(Freedom in religion)  Isolation/Brokenness Spiritual degradation and sexual perversion Art for Life's Sake.

              

   In the first characteristics which is given here that use of language in different way. We can see  some  changes in writing. The beginning and the ending of work. We can see the realism and in 20th century is marked with a note of it. Realism in modern poetry was the product of a reaction against the pseudo -romanticism of the last century over and above the influence of science. 

        

        We can see that during this modern time people suffering from anxiety and frustration development of Science and rational thinking had shaken mens faith and belief towards religion there are some freedom from religion there were competition atmosphere because of the industrialism and Technical progress of people felt frustration and mentally sickness.

    

  Barnard Shaw : "Old superstition of religion and the new superstition of the science."

           The second decades of the 20th century time of World War first there may be seeds short before that after that we see the depression and many reason for that.These 2 world war made changes there were not employment so the citizens and people were very depressed and frustrated how to get in a food and all their basic needs we can find the examples for that up into the movie by Charlie Chaplin's the Modern Times.

             

    During this  era because of technical development and science progress there  were happened invention of Radio, Television and Cinema. So now people have a tools for entertainment. 

                          In the 20th century writer Wrote about the poor and working class people. So now interest was increased towards them not upon rich or middle class  but yes it is obvious that we found some glimpse upon the discrimination of  rich and lower classy. Dickens wrote Oliver Twist we can take it as examples of that. During this time people became conscious and try for new and also ready for new things and for efforts.

               

    Because of industrialisation there were people who had no employment. It is a huge problem for all. So it will effect on economical condition as well as social. So it's impact also on literature. Machine takes the place of human so human have not get that value and also money as reward of their work. 

              

       People believe that Art is life sake. The  writer focus on the problem occursed in that time. So that's the reason that modern literature is full of realism. There are painting which are also different than earlier age or time. Mostly we found that 20th century or Modern ear is vice versa of Victorian age. That  period was a reason born of the new one. New criticism and new  Histoeism aslo takes the place. 

                 

      There were  some  group which were working for art or can say  literary work. Like Fabian society, Bloomsbury group. In this group Bloomsbury Virgina Woolf, Jamce Joyce, T.S. Eliot, Pound and other. They  also  include the stream of consciousness in thier  work ex of The light house by Virginia Woolf.

Conclusion : -

         

       Every new beginning is start with something  with new and something bad. 20th century seen many  bad incidents. Like  two  world wars and Nazism, fascism and many  other. So  here is also new beginning of new challenges and new value. New art and literature, or also intellectuality was there in era. 

Thank you....