1 / 17

Modernism and Postmodernism Parallelisms and Differences

Modernism and Postmodernism Parallelisms and Differences. Critical Studies Series for PG English Shalini Rachel Varghese Asst. Professor, Christian College, Chengannur. Introduction. Modernism and Postmodernism -two movements in lit and art Distinction between the two, hazy

jeb
Download Presentation

Modernism and Postmodernism Parallelisms and Differences

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Modernism and PostmodernismParallelisms and Differences Critical Studies Series for PG English Shalini Rachel Varghese Asst. Professor, Christian College, Chengannur

  2. Introduction • Modernism and Postmodernism -two movements in lit and art • Distinction between the two, hazy • No well defined boundary b/w them in chronological, aesthetic or political terms

  3. Modernism • Flourished as a literary movement in Europe and America in the 1920’s & 30’s • Modernist writers experimented with forms devices and styles. • They made use of the psychoanalytical theories of Freud and Jung • Works reflected sense of loss, disillusionment, even despair; T.S Eliot and James Joyce saw a fragmented world, but hoped to counter it through their works.

  4. …Modernists T S Eliot James Joyce

  5. Modernism.. • Modernism experimented with a number of lit. endeavours and styles. Modernist works often called Avant-garde(advance guard) • Regarded themselves as alienated from the established order • Purpose in writing was to shock the sensibilities of the conventional reader, so as to lead them in the march ahead • Modern and Modernist not synonymous:former broadly refers to contemporary, latter an experiment

  6. Modernist • ‘Modernist’ refers to the complex of characteristics shared by those who participate in the modernist movement • Involves a radical break with some of the traditional modes of lit, particularly, realism.

  7. Postmodernism • Refers to certain radically experimental works in lit and art from the 1960s to 1989 (approx) • Distinct from Modernism as a term applied to works after WW-II, esp. in the wake of the experience of Nazi totalitarianism, mass extermination of Jews

  8. Postmodernists • Like Modernists, they experiment with new devices, forms , styles. Themes similar • Do not view art and lit as potentially integrating, restorative forces • Seen to define itself against Modernism

  9. Postmodernism • Peter Brookner , ”a mood or condition of radical indeterminacy” • Difficult to classify postmodernist works: they combine aspects of diverse genres • Include genres as the Absurd, the Antinovel, Parody,Pastiche: all challenge ideological assumptions of contemporary society

  10. Prominent PM Theorists • Francois Lyotard • Jean Baudrillard • Both cross boundaries of high and pop culture, fact and fiction

  11. Francois Lyotard • Main work “The Postmodern Condition” • To him Postmodernism undoubtedly part of Modern • Definition “incredulity towards metanarratives( super-narratives)” like Christianity, Marxism, Myth of scientific progress

  12. Theory and Practice • Lyotard- Meta-narratives do not control mini-narratives (individual postmodernist literary texts), products of present day culture, postmodern experience, stemming from sense of existential uncertainty • PM novels, plays and poems reflect this uncertainty, angst • American authors John Barth, Ishmael Reed • European writers Italo Calvino, Umberto Eco, Indian writer Salman Rushdie..

  13. Jean Baudrillard • Major theorist of PM • French writer • Simulations (1981) • “ Loss of the Real” • “Simulacra and Simulations”, essay explains this loss. • Further propositions- past era of “fullness”: an era where a sign a surface indication of underlying depth or reality- “an outward sign of inward reality”

  14. Baudrillard…stages of the sign • 4 stages of representation of reality by means of signs • Representation of basic reality • Misrepresentation and distortion of reality • Disguising absence of reality • Total lack of relationship of the sign to any reality at all

  15. Baudrillard ..argument • “Within PM, the distinction b/w what is real and what is simulated collapses. Every thing is a model or an image, all is surface without depth’ • “The culture of hyper-reality”, in which the texts determine , yet undermine the real

  16. Conclusion • The PM view not necessarily dystopic • Carries the message that one could live on • Reflects the experience of cultural change.. • Points to an ongoing transition from post-modernism to post-postmodernism!!

  17. Thank You Further Reference- McHale Brian, The Cambridge Introduction to Postmodernism . Delhi, CUP,2017

More Related