modern-period

Chapter5TheModernPeriodBriefintroductionofthemodernperiodInthesecondhalfofthe19thcenturyandtheearlydecadesofthe20thcentury,bothnaturalandsocialsciencesinEuropehadenormouslyadvanced.Theirrapiddevelopmentledtogreatgainsinmaterialwealth.Butwhencapitalismcameintoitsmonopolystage,thesharpenedcontradictionsbetweensocializedproductionandtheprivateownershipcausedfrequenteconomicdepressionsandmassunemployment.Thegapbetweentherichandthepoorwasfurtherdeepened.Tocrownotall,thecatastrophicFirstWorldWartremendouslypeopleaswell.I.Historical,socialandculturalbackground1.HistoricallyModernismroseoutofskepticismanddisillusionofcapitalism.TheFirstWorldWarandtheSecondWorldWarhadgreatlyinfluencedtheEnglishliterature.2.EconomicallyTheSecondWorldWarmarkedthelaststageofthedisintegrationoftheBritishEmpire.Britainsufferedheavylossesinthewar:thousandsofpeoplewerekilled;theeconomywasruined;andalmostallitsformercolonieswerelost.Peoplewereineconomic,cultural,andbeliefcrisises.3.IdeologicallyTheriseoftheirrationalphilosophyandnewsciencegreatlyincitedmodernwriterstomakenewexplorationsonhumannaturesandhumanrelationships.II.Literaryhistoryoftheperiod1.LiterarytrendsAftertheFirstWorldWar,allkindsofliterarytrendsofmodernismappeared:symbolism,expressionism,surrealism,cubism,futurism,Dadaism,imagismandstreamofconsciousness.(1)ModernEnglishpoetry:Itis,insomesense,arevolutionagainsttheconventionalideasandformsoftheVictorianpoetry.(2)ModernEnglishnovels:Thefirstthreedecadesof20thcenturyweregoldenyearsofthemodernistnovel.(3)Thedevelopmentof20thcenturyEnglishdrama:Themostcelebrateddramatistsinthelastdecadeofthe19thcenturywereOscarWildeandGeorgeBernardShaw,who,inasense,pioneeredthemoderndrama,thoughtheydidnotmakesomanyinnovationsintechniquesandformsasmodernistpoetsornovelists2.Artisticfeaturesofmodernperoid(1)ModernismModernismwasacomplexanddiverseinternationalmovementinallcreativearts,originatingabouttheendofthe19thcentury.Itprovidedthegreatestrenaissanceofthe20thcentury.AftertheFirstWorldWar,allkindsofliterarytrendsofmodernismappeared:symbolism,expressionism,surrealism,cubism,futurism,Dadaism,imagismandstreamofconsciousness.(2)ThebasiccharacteristicsofModernisminliterature:Modernismtakestheirrationalphilosophyandthetheoryofpsycho-analysisasitstheoreticalbase.OnecharacteristicofEnglishModernismisthedehumanizationofart.Themajorthemesofthemodernistliteraturearethedistorted,alienatedandillrelationshipsbetweenmanandnature,manandsociety,manandman,andmanandhimself.3.MajorfiguresofthisperiodGeorgeBernardShaw(1856-1950)Mrs.Warren’sProfessionJohnGalaworthy(1867-1933)TheManofPropertyWilliamButterYeats(1865-1939)TheLandofHeart’sDesireThomasStearnsEliot(1888-1965)MurderintheCathedralDavidHerbertLawrence(1885-1930)SonsandLoversJamesJoyce(1882-1941)UlyssesIII.RepresentativesofthisperiodD.H.Lawrence1.Biography1885–DavidHerbertLawrencewasbornataminingvillageinNottinghamshire.Hisfatherwasacoal-minerwithlittleeducation;buthismother,onceaschoolteacher,wasfromasomewhathigherclass,whocametothinkthatshehadmarriedbeneathheranddesiredtohavehersonswelleducatedsoastohelpthemescapefromthelifeofcoalminers.Theconflictbetweentheearthy,coarse,energeticbutoftendrunkenfatherandtherefined,strong-willedandup-climbingmotherisvividlypresentedinhisautobiographicalnovel,SonsandLovers(1913).LiteraryworksTheRainbowWomeninLoveLadyChatterley'sLover2.MajorthemeInhiswritings,Lawrencehasexpressedastrongreactionagainstthemechanicalcivilization.Inhisopinion,thebourgeoisindustrializationorcivilization,whichmadeitsrealizationatthecostofravishingtheland,startedthecatastrophicuprootingofmanfromnatureandcausedthedistortionofpersonality,thecorruptionofthewill,andthedominanceofsterileintellectovertheauthenticinwardpassionsofman.Underthemechanicalcontrol,humanbeingswereturnedintoinanimatedmatter,whiletheinanimatedmattershouldbeanimatedtodestroybothmanandearth.ItisthisagonizedconcernaboutthedehumanizingeffectofmechanicalcivilizationonthesensualtendernessofhumannaturethathauntsLawrence'swriting.3.Analysisofhismasterpiece(1)BriefintroductionofSonsandLovers:SonsandLoversislargelyanautobiographicalnoveltoldbymeansofstraight-forwardnarrativeandvividepisodesinchronologicalsequence.ThestorystartswiththemarriageofPaul'sparents.Mrs.Morel,daughterofamiddle-classfamily,isawomanofcharacterandrefinement,astrong-willed,intelligentandambitiouswomanwhoisfascinatedbyawarm,vigorousandsensuouscoalminer,WalterMorel,andmarriedbeneathherownclass.(2)ThemeLawrencewasoneofthefirstnoveliststointroducethemesofpsychologyintohisworks.Hebelievedthatthehealthywayoftheindividual’spsychologicaldevelopmentlayintheprimacyofthelifeimplulse,orinanotherterm,thesexualimpulse.huamansexualitywas,toLawrence,asymboloflifeforce.bypresentingthepsychologicalexperienceofindivudualhumanlifeandofhumanrelationships,Lawrencehasopenedupawidenewterritorytothenovel(3)CharacteranalysisGertrudeMorel-Thefirstprotagonistofthenovel.ShebecomesunhappywithherhusbandWalteranddevotesherselftoherchildren.PaulMorel-PaulMoreltakesoverfr