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Modern Age History and Literature is generally divided into two main categories: Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950) Late Twentieth Century (1951-2000)
Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950) • Influences from the late 19th century (the Victorian Age) continued to affect 20th century thinking: • Charles Darwin – His theories of natural selection and survival affected views of science, religion, social classes, and even doctrines of racial superiority (Theory of Evolution) (survival of the fittest) • Karl Marx – Advocated the abolition of private property and traced economic injustices to “the capitalist system of ownership.” • Sigmund Freud – Believed that motives of human behavior are NOT found in the rational, conscious mind but in the irrational, sexually driven unconscious.
Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950) Cont’d. • The Great War: “A War to End All Wars” • The heroic idea of war was harshly met with realities of new technology in WWI • 60,000 young British men were killed or wounded on the first day of the Battle of Somme • 300,000 were killed, wounded, or frozen to death at the Battle of Ypres • The devastating losses of the war resulted in a cynical attitude toward government, national honor, and glory.
Early Twentieth Century (1901-1950) Cont.d. III. Rise and Effects of World War II • Worldwide economic depression led to the rise of dictators (Italy, Germany, Russia) • Britain perseveres and is successful only after the U.S. and Soviet Union enter the war • Post-World War II Britain is transformed into a welfarestate—government provides medical care and other basic benefits for its citizens
Late Twentieth Century (1951-2000) • Britain loses status as world power (Colonialism) • British Empire loses several “colonies” to independence • British industry declines and Britain loses economic and political status in the world
Effects Upon Literature • Much of the literature (especially following WWII) is dark and pessimistic • More dark comedy and satire are written • Many works portray a civilization in ruins (dystopia); traditional beliefs and morals are challenged
Effects Upon Literature Cont’d. • A shift from Romanticism and the ideal to Impressionism and Modernism • Impressionism – Focus on experience • Modernism – Focuses on the inner self; personal perception are more valid than socially-determined norms.
William Golding Born: September 19, 1911 Died: June 19, 1993 Oxford University: Natural Science, English Literature, Poetry. Careers: British Navy Officer During WWII; Novelist, poet, playwright Writings: Often allegorical in nature and include Christian symbolism Best Known Works: Lord of the Flies (his first novel); The Inheritors; The Scorpion God; To the Ends of the Earth
Lord of the Flies • Prior to WWII,many people tended to believe that mankind was not "inherently evil" but rather "inherently good." Evil behavior was the result of "ignorance and superstition.” • Although World War I brought doubt to this idea, most people believed that the world had "learned its lesson" and such an awful war would never happen again. Nazi Germany and the Holocaust, however, quickly put to death any such hopes. • The atrocities of man's inhumanity to man during WWII caused Goldingand other educated people like him to question the idea of man's inherent goodness.
Lord of the Flies • Lord of the Flies is Golding's attempt to understand how civilized, "good" people can carry out and accept evil, including the evil of savage and ritualistic behaviors. • Golding used the setting and some characters of a favorite childhood story, Coral Island, as the base for investigating his views in Lord of the Flies. But Golding's characters and events have deeper, symbolic meanings and represent specific ideas and/or groups of people • Critic Steve Szilagyi wrote: "You get the impression that the real action of Lord of the Flies is taking place somewhere else. High in the heavens, amid the clash of angels. Or in some deeper realm, where good and evil churn…"
