Download Modernism and Poetry

Modernism
and Poetry
1890 - 1939
Features of Modernism
1.
Experimentation

belief that previous writing was
stereotyped
deviation from the norm or from
usual reader expectations
ruthless rejection of the past


2. Anti-realism

The artist's inner feelings, mental
state, and vantage points are chosen
to question the conventional view
and use of myth and unconscious
forces rather than motivations of
conventional plot.
3. Individualism

promotion of the artist's viewpoint

estrangement from religion, nature,
science, economy or social
mechanisms

artists and not society should judge
the arts
4. Intellectualism

writing is more cerebral than emotional

work is tentative, analytical and
fragmentary

more posing questions more than
answering them
 viewpoints and characters are detached
and depersonalized
Summary
The key elements of Modernist poems
are experimentation, anti-realism,
individualism, and a stress on the
cerebral rather than emotive aspects.
Previous writing was thought to be
stereotyped, requiring ceaseless
experimentation and rejection of old
forms.
“Robert Frost was a leading figure in the
Modernist movement. However, unlike his
contemporaries such as Eliot or Pound,
Frost favored more traditional metrics and
forms of poetry. He also composed his
poetry by using the language and
experiences of his everyday life. The
beauty of Frost’s poetry lies in its layers of
ambiguities and deeper meanings hidden
behind these everyday themes.”
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