英国文学现代主义和后现代主义

1、Modernism & Postmodernismliterature王潇潇王潇潇 2020王梦雅王梦雅 2323徐艳艳徐艳艳 2424Outline1.Definition2.Background3.Characteristics4.Main writers5.InfluenceModernismModernismisaphilosophicalmovementinthearts,thatalongwithculturaltrendsandchanges,arosefromwide-scaleandfar-reachingtransformationsinWesternsociety

2、inthelate19thandearly20thcenturies.AmongthefactorsthatshapedModernismwasthedevelopmentofmodernindustrialsocietiesandtherapidgrowthofcities,followedthenbythehorrorofWorldWarI.ModernismalsorejectedthecertaintyofEnlightenmentthinking,andmanymodernistsrejectedreligiousbelief. DefinitionModernismisaveryv

3、agueandconfusingterm.Inliterature,itincludesvariousmodernschoolssuchasimagism,cubism（立体主义）,surrealism（超现实主义),symbolism,expressionism,dadaism（达达主义）,streamofconsciousness（意识流）andexistentialism（存在主义）.DefinitionBackgroundThe influences of the two World Wars on BritainThecatastrophicFirstWorldWartremendo

4、uslyweakenedtheBritishEmpireandbroughtaboutgreatsufferingstoitspeopleaswell.ThepostwareconomicdislocationandspiritualdisillusionproducedaprofoundimpactupontheBritishpeople,whocametoseetheprevalentwretchednessincapitalism.TheSecondWorldWarmarkedthelaststageofthedisintegrationoftheBritishEmpire.Britai

5、nsufferedheavylossesinthewar:thousandsofpeoplewerekilled;theeconomywasruined;andalmostallitsformercolonieswerelost.Theoncesun-never-setEmpirefinallycollapsed.Characteristics1.usesimages(wordpictures)andsymbolsastypicalandfrequentliterarytechniques2.usescolloquiallanguageratherthanformallanguageage3.

6、useslanguageasaspecialmediumthatinfluenceswhatthatpieceofliteraturecandoorcanbesawthepieceofliteratureasanobjectcraftedbyanartistusingparticulartechniques,crafts,skills(recallhowtheRomanticsthoughtthepieceofliteraturewasaworkofgeniusthatsomehowappearsfull-blownfromtheimaginationofthegenius).Form,sty

7、le,andtechniquethusbecomeasimportant-ifnotmoreso-thancontentorsubstance.Characteristics4.useslanguageinaveryself-consciousway,seeinglanguageasatechniqueforcraftingthepieceofliteraturejustasanartistcraftsapieceofartlikeasculptureorapainting.5.often,theintentionofwritersintheModernperiodistochangethew

8、ayreadersseetheworldandtochangeourunderstandingofwhatlanguageisanddoes.GeorgeBernardShaw(1856-1950)乔治.萧伯纳JohnGalsworthy(1867-1933)约翰.高尔斯华绥WilliamButlerYeats(1865-1939)威廉.巴特勒.叶芝T.S.Eliot(1888-1965)乔治.艾略特D.H.Larence(1885-1930)戴维.伯特.劳伦斯VirginiaWoolf(1882-1941)弗吉尼亚.伍尔芙Main writersInfluenceTheliteratureo

9、fthemodernperiodhasitrootsintheliteratureofEuropeandgrowsoutofareactiontoRealismandNaturalism.AsareactionagainstRealismandNaturalism,somecriticsseeinModernismatleastfour“isms”orliterarymovementsthatmakeuptheliteratureoftheModernera:impressionism（印象主义）,expressionism,surrealism,andnihilism（虚无主义）.Outli

10、ne1.Definition2.Schools3.Characteristics4.Main writersPostModernismPostmodernliteratureischaracterizedbyheavyrelianceontechniqueslikefragmentation,paradox,andquestionablenarrators,andisoftendefinedasastyleortrendwhichemergedinthepostWorldWarIIera.PostmodernworksareseenasareactionagainstEnlightenment

11、thinkingandModernistapproachestoliterature.DefinitionSchoolsTheTheatre of the Absurd(荒诞派戏剧荒诞派戏剧)(French:Thtre de lAbsurde)isadesignationforparticularplaysofabsurdistfictionwrittenbyanumberofprimarilyEuropeanplaywrightsinthelate1950s,aswellasoneforthestyleoftheatrewhichhasevolvedfromtheirwork.Theirwo

12、rkexpressedthebeliefthathumanexistencehasnomeaningorpurposeandthereforeallcommunicationbreaksdown.Logicalconstructionandargumentgiveswaytoirrationalandillogicalspeechandtoitsultimateconclusion,silence.SchoolsThenouveau roman(新小说新小说)(Frenchpronunciation:nuvom,new novel)isatypeof1950sFrenchnovelthatdi

13、eHenriotcoinedthetitleinanarticleinthepopularFrenchnewspaperLe MondeonMay22,1957citation neededtodescribecertainwriterswhoexperimentedwithstyleineachnovel,creatinganessentiallynewstyleeachtime.SchoolsTheBeat Generation(垮掉的一代垮掉的一代)wasagroupofAmericanpost-WorldWarI

14、Iwriterswhocametoprominenceinthe1950s,aswellastheculturalphenomenathattheybothdocumentedandinspired.CentralelementsofBeatcultureincludedrejectionofreceivedstandards,innovationsinstyle,experimentationwithdrugs,alternativesexualities,aninterestinEasternreligion,arejectionofmaterialism,andexplicitportr

15、ayalsofthehumancondition.SchoolsAblack comedy(ordark comedy)(黑色幽黑色幽默文学默文学)isacomicworkthatemploysblackhumor,which,initsmostbasicdefinition,ishumorthatmakeslightofotherwiseserioussubjectmatter.Blackhumorcorrespondstotheearlierconceptofgallowshumor.SchoolsMagic realismormagical realism(魔幻现魔幻现实主义实主义)is

16、agenrewheremagicelementsareanaturalpartinanotherwisemundane,realisticenvironment.Althoughitismostcommonlyusedasaliterarygenre,magicrealismalsoappliestofilmandthevisualarts.Characteristics1.WhereasModernismplacesfaithintheideas,values,beliefs,culture,andnormsoftheWest,PostmodernismrejectsWesternvalue

17、sandbeliefsasonlyasmallpartofthehumanexperienceandoftenrejectssuchideas,beliefs,culture,andnorms.2.WhereasModernismattemptstorevealprofoundtruthsofexperienceandlife,PostmodernismissuspiciousofbeingprofoundbecausesuchideasarebasedononeparticularWesternvaluesystems.3.WhereasModernismattemptstofinddept

18、handinteriormeaningbeneaththesurfaceofobjectsandevents,Postmodernismpreferstodwellontheexteriorimageandavoidsdrawingconclusionsorsuggestingunderlyingmeaningsassociatedwiththeinteriorofobjectsandevents.Characteristics4.WhereasModernismfocusedoncentralthemesandaunitedvisioninaparticularpieceofliterature,Postmodernismseeshumanexperienceasunstable,internallycontradictory,ambiguous,inconclusive,indeterminate,unfinished,fragmented,discontinuous,jagged,withnoonespecificrealitypossible.Therefore,itfocusesonavisionofaco