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Modern Age

Modern Age starts with the beginning of the First World War in 1914 and ends in 1939 when the Second World War began. The First World War caused massive destruction not only to the socio-political structure of Europe, but also to the Western culture, belief, tradition, and values. After the war, the capacity of Christianity and traditional values were questioned as they utterly failed to uphold peace. Consequently, a break with traditional modes of life took place.

In literature, new tendencies replaced the old and established rules. A visible change in the selection of subject, form, and style became evident. Literary experiments and movements marked the age. Symbolism, imagism, existentialism, expressionism, surrealism, stream of consciousness theory, and psycho-analysis are some of the new trends that characterized the literature of this period. 

Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, W. B. Yeats, Dylan Thomas, and W. H. Auden are the poets of this age.

James Joyce, Joseph Conrad, D. H. Lawrence, Virginia Woolf are some of the famous novelists of this period.

G. B. Shaw, Samuel Beckett, and Bertold Brecht are the leading dramatists of the modern age.

The Modern Age started in the late 19th century and continued in the 20th century. It focused on change, progress, and breaking traditions. Writers explored realism, psychology, and society.

Features of the Modern Age:

  1. Experimentation: Writers used new styles. They broke old writing rules.
  2. Stream of Consciousness: Writing showed inner thoughts of characters.
  3. Disillusionment: People felt lost after wars. Literature showed uncertainty.
  4. Social Issues: Books talked about class struggles, war, gender, and identity.
  5. Symbolism and Imagery: Writers used symbols and deep meanings in their works.

Famous Writers and Their Works:

  1. James Joyce – Ulysses
  2. Virginia Woolf – To the Lighthouse
  3. T.S. Eliot – The Waste Land
  4. F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby
  5. George Orwell – 1984
  6. William Faulkner – The Sound and the Fury
  7. Franz Kafka – The Metamorphosis
  8. D.H. Lawrence – Sons and Lovers

Famous Writings from the Modern Age

1. Ulysses – James Joyce

  • Ulysses follows Leopold Bloom, a Jewish man in Dublin, on June 16, 1904.
  • The story also follows Stephen Dedalus, a young teacher, and Molly Bloom, Leopold’s wife.
  • Joyce uses stream of consciousness, mixing thoughts, memories, and real events.
  • The book is based on Homer’s Odyssey, with Leopold Bloom as Odysseus, Stephen as Telemachus, and Molly as Penelope.
  • The novel has 18 episodes, each with a different writing style.
  • One famous part is Molly Bloom’s monologue, where she speaks her thoughts without punctuation.

2. To the Lighthouse – Virginia Woolf

  • The story follows the Ramsay family, who visit the Isle of Skye.
  • The novel is divided into three parts: The Window, Time Passes, and The Lighthouse.
  • In The Window, Mrs. Ramsay plans a trip to the lighthouse, but the trip is delayed.
  • In Time Passes, time moves fast, and war changes everything. Mrs. Ramsay dies, her son dies, and the house falls apart.
  • In The Lighthouse, the trip finally happens, but the world has changed.
  • Woolf uses stream of consciousness to show deep emotions and inner thoughts.
  • The book explores memory, time, and human relationships.

3. The Waste Land – T.S. Eliot

  • A long poem published in 1922, written after World War I.
  • The poem has five sections:
    1. The Burial of the Dead – Talks about spring, death, and broken lives.
    2. A Game of Chess – Shows rich people’s empty lives.
    3. The Fire Sermon – Talks about desire, sin, and spiritual emptiness.
    4. Death by Water – A short section about drowning and fate.
    5. What the Thunder Said – Ends with a call for peace and renewal.
  • Eliot mixes myth, religion, and many voices to show a world in crisis.
  • The famous line “April is the cruellest month” starts the poem.

4. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

  • The novel is set in the 1920s and follows Jay Gatsby, a rich man who loves Daisy Buchanan.
  • Gatsby throws grand parties, hoping Daisy will return to him.
  • The story is told by Nick Carraway, Gatsby’s neighbor.
  • Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s husband, represents old wealth, while Gatsby represents new wealth and dreams.
  • Gatsby and Daisy reunite, but tragedy follows. Gatsby takes the blame for Daisy’s mistake, and he is killed.
  • The novel explores the American Dream, wealth, love, and corruption.
  • The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock symbolizes dreams and hope.
  • The last line, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past,” reflects Gatsby’s struggle.

5. 1984 – George Orwell

  • A dystopian novel published in 1949 about a future where Big Brother watches everything.
  • The world is ruled by a totalitarian government that controls truth, history, and thoughts.
  • Winston Smith, the main character, secretly hates the Party.
  • He starts a love affair with Julia, but they are caught by the Thought Police.
  • Winston is tortured in Room 101 until he betrays Julia.
  • In the end, he loses his mind and loves Big Brother.
  • The book warns about government control, surveillance, and loss of freedom.
  • Orwell introduced famous terms like “Big Brother,” “doublethink,” “thoughtcrime,” and “Newspeak.”

These books changed literature and influenced many later writers. They explored modern themes, new writing styles, and deep ideas about human life.