Name - Bhaliya Uma H.
Roll no: - 01
M.A.Part-ii - Sem-iii
Paper - 01, Ec-301.
Paper name - the modernist
Literature.
Topic for assignment -
“The history of the 20th Century English Literature”
Submitted To: Dr.Dilipsir Barad
Department of English.
Bhavnagar university,
Bhavnagar.
Ø INTRODUCTION
Ø Twentieth – century English literature (1901 – 1960)
The end of Queen Victoria’s and the beginning of Elizabeth II’s, thus, the year 1901 is beginning of 20th century English literature. The modern age is she most complex, complicated, baffling and revolutionary age in the history of the world. It transformed she whole private and social life and revolutionary change in the English nation. She change from the blind to the new, from blind faith to rational thinking is very interesting.
The 20th century had remained for mankind a perplex. On one side tremendous progress is seen but on the other means of total destruction are at hand. These means no doubt have been used at a smaller scale but devastation is terrific. Man was broken completely from all the sides. War, unemployment, poverty, competition have made man to think break down in social, political, economical and geographical condition’s brought a great downfall, disappointed, crushed, hopeless mankind began to search moral and spiritual values literature became a medium reasonable thinking led him for spirit of inquiry first fifty years of the twentieth century the human race moved faster forward and backward than during perhaps fifty generations in the past. Man’s growing mastery of the physical world and its material resources is a story of moral and spiritual relapse. Progress and regress, both, are fruits of the scientific revolution which has been the outstanding feature of this century.
Many of the poets, dramatists. Novelists’ and prose writers and their major works were published in the twentieth century. The poetry of 20th century changing scenario of life and society. And prose has also remarkably developed in the twentieth century.
Ø The Novelists of 20th century English literature.
· H.G.Wells (1886-1946)
H.G.Wells was the most creative and old master. His novels can be divided into three categories.
(I) Fantastic romances or what is called “science fiction”. The men in the moon. The war of the worlds and the wonderful visit are full of romantic and imaginative but like a good story
(ii) Novels of character and humor, like kipps and the history of Mr. Polly. In such novels he gives a interesting picture of the lower-middle class English life.
(iii) The discussion novels like Tono Bungay which searchingly consider the deeper problems and aspects of human life and the ideas of progressive civilization.
· Arnold Bennett (1867-1931)
Arnold Bennett greatest novel was the old wives’ Tale (1908), clayhanger, Hilda Lessways and These Twain. In Riceyman steps (1923) he gave a good regional novel.
“Arnold Bennett was at once she historian the philosopher, and the troubadour of our ordinary human life.”
-J.B. Priestley
· John Galsworthy (1867-1933)
He is a writer of the problem play which in his hand became a powerful instrument of social criticism. He was a social reformer, showing always both sides of the question and think out the answer to his audience. Galsworthy obviously feels a warm sympathy for the victims of social injustice, and for the poor and downtrodden, and the underlying warmth plays the silver box deals with the struggle between capital and labour justices with the cruelty of solitary confinement; the skin game with the different values of the old aristocracy and the newly rich businessman;
· Joseph Conrad (1857-1924)
He is the most artistic of modern novelists. His work is a triumph of impressionistic art. He departed from she the old form built famous novels are the nigger of narcissus, lord Jim: A Tale, chance and shadow Line- A confession. Lord Jim is the first Novel of the twentieth century Written in “a new from”.
· Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
He was an advocate of the new problem and social drama of Ibsen. He was earnestly at work to prepare she ground for the advent of this new drama in England. He faced the problems of contemporary life and civilization. Fundamentals aim in his drama was the bettering of the lot of humanity. In his play he showed middle class respectability fattening on poverty and exploitation.
J.M.Barrie, Thomas Hardly many writer give best work of this century. Even E.M.Forester wrote about his stopping writing. “I had been accustomed to write about the old fashioned world with its homes and family life and its comparative peace. All that went ….. I cannot put it into fiction”.
The 20th century had remained for mankind a perplex. On the side tremendous progress is seen but on the other means pf total destruction are at hand. These means, no doubt have been used at a smaller scale but devastation is terrific. Man has broken completely from all the sides. War, unemployment, poverty, competition have made man to think breakdown in social, political, economical and geographical conditions brought a great downfall. Disappointed, crushed, hopeless mankind began to search moral and spiritual values literature became a medium, reasonable approach and for spirit of inquiry.
· Women novelists and rise of womanhood
Women had already written fine novels in the early years of the twentieth century. Women also get same qualities like as men writers.
Elizabeth Robins (1862-1962), she was presented combination of feminine insight and masculine vigour in her novel. The magnetic North is a very remarkable novel.
May Sinclair (1879-1946), her sixth book, The Divine fire (1904) is a long and detailed study of a poetic genius and also a book of uncommon merit. May Sinclair came under the influence of Freud’s psyche analytical theories and of Dorothy Richardson’s literary methods.
Rose Macaulay (1881-1958):- her orphan Island (1924) was very fine satirical paraphrase of Victorian history and many other novels. The tower of Trebizond (1956) is best novel of rose Macaulay’s. Is neither her best nor wholly a novel.
Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973) is known for her brilliant the death of the heart (1938) and some short fiction. Almost all her mast or fiction deals with the theme of a young girl’s love affairs, betrayals and growing up
The 20th century had seen women at their best. Early years are considered as the rise of woman hood. Their position grew stronger and stronger. In literature women writers come forward and revealed their world with their feministic views. Dorothy Richardson she was the pioneer of stream of conscious technique. She wrote a big novel ‘pilgrimage. Virginia Woolf also followed her during 1930, Ivy Compton Burnett describes family relationship in her novels: ‘Brothers and sister:’ men and wives’, ‘two worlds and their ways’. ‘Muriel sparks’s is’ the prime of miss jean brodic’. V.s.pitchett was a master story teller and critic dories Lessing’s novels and stories reveal the experiences of contemporary women the same is done by Irish myrdocn. Her novels are: “A severed head”. “The black princo”, “Nuns and soldiers”, “The good apprentice”. There are some important other novelists whose works have made mark these novelists are: Margaret drabbe A.s.byatt and Aita brookner. Thus in the field of literature too women have to established themselves.
Ø The 20th century poetry or modern poetry.
The term “modern” is complex, but it is clear for us. For us it means poetry of 20th century. With the beginning of the First World War in 1914, modern poetry is born. It grew much after the war. T.s.Eliot was the representative poet and influenced the period so it is widely known as the age of T.s.Eliot. Swinburne and Meredith were approaching and Meredith were approaching the Kipling, still in the fullness of their vigour belonged to the present. But not to the future. John Davidson and Arthur Symons had produced their best work.
· Georgian poetry
In 1890’s decadents Dawson, l. Johnson) movement was on but it was unheaithy and didn’t survive. The search for more natural type ended in Georgian poetry. They kept away from their contemporary period and busied in writing romantic verses. Munro, Brooke, Davies, Mare, drink water, Gibson, Abercrombie were such poets. Some of them survived up to the Second World War but their influenced waned. They were aloof from the contemporary time.
· Nature poetry
Another “romantic” tendency to be found in some modern poets is interest in nature. The poets as Masefield, Robert Bridge, W.H.Davies and Edmund Blunden may not find any mystic significance in nature but they are all the same, charmed by her unsophisticated beauty. Masefield in sea-fever expresses a strong desire to run away from the dreary life into the lonely points his finger lovingly at the little noticed things of nature. Davies’ poetry has the feature of childlike curiosity in the natural objects everybody finds around himself.
· Imagism
It was a reaction against Georgian poetry. It flourished in the U.S. and England between 1909 and 1917. The movement was led by American poet Ezra pound and Lower. In England D.H.Lawrence and Richard Aldington were the followers. They issued manifestos and wrote poems and essay embodying their theories. They used precise and sharp images. Brevity was another mean. They chose freedom in the subject matter and form and in the use of colloquial language. Most of the poets used free verse and devices of alliteration of assonance and consonance.
· War Poetry
The war of 1914-18 reflected its note in presenting grim realism. Pity and waste of war. Rupert Brooke, Siegfried Sassoon, and Willfred Owen contributed in this trend. Some of the poets were soldiers and they had taken part in actual war. They brought their experiences. Physical and mental shocks shook the world. Their powerful which led us to see hard life of soldiers.
· Surrealism
It was a French movement beginning in 1924. Free functioning of human mind is presented. Dreams states of mind, unconsciousness found the place in the poetry. They made experiences with free associations, violated syntax, non-logical order dreamlike sequences, and unrelated images. Thomas George Barger, Herbert Read followed this tradition.
· T.s.Eliot
He is greatest of the modern poets started his carrer as a poet during the course of the war with his prufrock and other observations (1917) but his greater and more characteristic works came later. The waste land (1922), The Hollow men (1925), Ash Wednesday (1930), and the rest. He was the founder of the modernistic school of poetry which even today is quite flourishing.
Ø 20th century drama and some other thing
Plays has remarkable developed in 20th century. In this century writer main aims to some change in there work. Many novelist write great novel. They all are George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), J.M.syange (1871-1909), Sean O’Casey (1884-1964) Lady Gregory (1852-1932), John Galsworthy (1867-1933), T.s. Eliot (1888-1965).
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) His great work ‘man and superman’, ‘saint Joan’, ‘Pygmalion’, ‘Back to Methuselah’ etc. T.s.Eliot (1888-1965) his great work ‘The waste land’ is his master work. ‘Pryfrock and other observation’ etc. Sean O’Casey (1884-1964) ‘The shadow of a gunman’, ‘the silver Tassie’, ‘Red roses for me’, etc.
Ø Marxist approach (communism)
Concern for men is also reflected in the literature. Industrialization grew more and more. There were great factories in which hundreds of laborers were working on one side capitalism was there and on the other side was a labour class. Inequality, exploitation, social injustice, hard work and suffering, economic depression in life remained. Society was not healthy. Great cities grew with poverty and dull slum areas Marx gave a theory. According to him working class can bring progress and enhance society but for this they should throw away capitalism. Communism will help to build a classless society. The works of Bernard Russell, George Orwell, W.h.auden, Stephen spender, Louis Mac Niece, Roy Campbell reflect this attitude. No doubt all of them didn’t favor this concept. Orwell criticized communism in his famous novel “Animal farm”. But the century had such kind of a trend and literature reflected this social matter.
Ø Scientific Approach
The 20th century had showed that all human misery would be ultimately swept away by science alone. The scientific approach affected also the field of economics and social life was similarly affected. Psychological study developed and Freud’s work influenced the whole world to Freud’s disciple. James Joyee, Virginia Woolf, D.H.Loawrence reflected this note Lawrence advocated returning from complexities Woolf and Joyce revealed in depth recesses of Human mind. Marx is also another influence. He considered man as the outcome economic and social forces.
Ø Psychological Fiction
The study of behaviors and mind is psychology scientific study is known psychological study. Literature was highly influenced by other branches of physiology, sociology and anthropology of knowledge. Freud and Jung’s work gave a big way to creative imagination. Stream of consciousness technique is adopted by many novelties. Henry James is the fromt, runner in literature. It is ‘Ulysses’ (1922) is a supreme work. ‘Finnegan’s wake’ (1939) is another work. Virginia Woolf also wrote psychological fiction. She presents sequences of moments. ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ (1925) occurs within the consciousness of several people during the course of one day. ‘Orlando’ (1928) ‘to the light house’ etc. are such other novels. Dorothy Richardson is considered by some to be pioneer in use of the device; her novel ‘pilgrimage’ (1911-38) is a bulky book is 12 volumes. She analyses the development of a sensitive young woman and her response to the world.
Ø Scientific Fiction
Two major events explosion of atomic bomb in 1945 and successful landing on the moon in 1969 influenced the literature very much it shows that fiction deals with events that happen may have happened or have happened. Common subjects are future. Travel through space of time life on other plants, alien creature’s crisis created by technology and environments. French author Jules Vern in 19th century was a remarkable novelist. In England Conan Doyle’s ‘the last world’ in 1922 is notable work. However H.G.Wells is a major writer in 1890s his novels. ‘the time machine’, ‘the invisible man’, ‘the first man in moon’ set his reputation Aldus Huxley’s ‘Brave new world’ (1932) and George Orwell’s ‘1984’ (1949) are the important writers.
Ø The Irish Theatre and the repertory movement
This century in the beginning experienced the remarkable movement in the field of drama. English drama came out from the influence of Shaw and Galsworthy. The English theatre had influence of Ibsen and French dramatists. The Irish were strange. At that time in England Irish freedom movement was going on. Some people at this time thought of preserving Irish culture. Attention has been paid to a number of writers who strike the Celtic note weather in Britain or Ireland. They had different culture from the English. Compton and Rickett consider it as political and social rather than literary distinctive nationalistic movement Ireland, Scotland and Wales have however given him a more definite position.
In Ireland, the literary movement is associated largely with the name of Mr. W.B.Yeats who founded the Irish Literary society, in 1891, and was responsible, some years later for the Irish literary theatre (1902). He was assisted by Dr.Doyglas Hude, Lady Gregory, and Mr. A.P.graves. They concentrated upon the ancient songs and legends of Ireland. Scott had done some kind of work in England representing old romance and songs and legends.
Above Stated thought was realized when one Miss A.E.F. Horniman supplied the monetary fund to develop a new theatre which can have Irish life at centre. ‘Abbey theatre’, (1904) was there and it was developed on this base. This was called Miss Horniman’s company. Same Irish writer’s like W.B.Yeats, Synge, Sean O’Casey and Lady Gregory were the pioneers of the drama in Abbey theatre. Presenting Irish themes and reviving them was their aim. So this movement is also known as ‘Celtic Revival’. In this movement main thing are centre
(1) Foundation of the society
(2) Ireland at the centre
(3) Popularize Irish culture
(4) Use of Irish Language
Ø The 20th century English Literary criticism and new critics
Some general observation about 20th century English literary criticism. First we have to take cognizance of America which has contributed to the critical output of the present century more that even Britain.
Secondary we have to take into account, to use Stanley E.human’s words.
“The organized use of non-literary techniques and bodies of knowledge to obtain insights into literature.” Thirdly, we are all too well-aware of the complexity of modern literary criticisms particularly of the American Brand.
The most notable of all psychological critics is I.A.Richards”, says George Watson “is simply the most influential theorist of the century, as Eliot is the most influential of descriptive critics.” Richards’ works The Foundation of Aesthetics (1921), the principles of literary criticism (1924) and practical criticism (1929) - have considerably contributed to and influenced. Modern literary criticism. Richards rejected the view that poetry has only aesthetic value.
John Crowe pansom, Allen tale, Robert Penn warren, R.P.Blackmur, yvor winter’s and cleanth Brooke’s are the most important new critics. They discredited the historical and biographical background of a poem to concentrate on the poem itself.
The 20th century has also seen the emergence of a group of critics who emphasize the sociological context in the study of a work of literature or even art in general. Christopher Caudwell, Raymond Williams, Lionel Trilling, Edmund Wilson, W.H.Auden and Stephen spender are some of the most important critics whose critical approach is markedly sociological.
Ø Conclusion:-
Thus, at last we can say that 20th century gave us new experience freshness of new life and great achievement of something new, and also the modern age is completely different to earlier age in its life and were many devils on one side but there are also many good sides and one must be optimistic and find positive sighs of the age.
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