2023 Ch 11 & 12 Modernism & Postmodernism

Modernism and Postmodernism Overview

1. Modernism (1900-1960s)

  • History Overview

    • Emergence post-Great War; marked shifts in politics and society.

    • Transition from empires to republics, rise of bunkers, trench warfare impact.

    • Economic upheavals like the 1929 crash leading to global unemployment.

    • Cultural changes: speed in urban life; rise of technical arts like film and music.

  • Philosophy (1940-60s)

    • Key figures: Martin Heidegger, Walter Benjamin, Theodor Adorno.

    • Focus on language's power and existential themes; critique of society's bourgeois domination.

  • Literature

    • Definition includes creativity from 1860-1960. Trends include Expressionism, Imagism, Surrealism.

    • Prominent authors: Apollinaire, Kafka, Joyce, Eliot, Woolf, Brecht.

  • Art

    • Key movements: Fauvism, Cubism, Dadaism.

    • Notable artists: Van Gogh, Picasso, Kiefer.

2. Postmodernism (1968-2020)

  • Social and Political Realities

    • Aftereffects of WWII continue; colonization shifts.

    • Globalization and political changes in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

  • Philosophy

    • Shift from modernist intention to playful, decentralized thought.

    • Influences from Derrida, Irigaray, and Haraway, focusing on individual versus collective.

  • Postmodern Literature Characteristics

    • Features unreliable narrators, mythic elements, metafiction, and reader engagement.

    • Key authors: Solzhenitsyn, Saramago, Barnes, McEwan.

  • Postmodernist Art

    • Emphasis on Conceptual Art, Op Art.

    • Noteworthy artists: Francis Bacon, Anselm Kiefer, Michaël Borremans.

Recommended Reading

  • Key works from the periods include writings by Joyce, Eliot, Woolf, and Haraway's metaphorical texts.

Conclusion Perspectives

  • Modernism and Postmodernism mark significant cultural and philosophical shifts;

  • Both periods reflect societal anxieties and transformations through art and literature.

  • Focus on interdependence and social justice becomes essential in contemporary discussions.