General-Characteristics-of-Twentieth-Century

A BRIEF NOTE ON HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Victorian era dates from 1837(with accession of Queen Victoria) and ends on 1901 with the queen's death.

In Victorian era, Victorians were more rigid(confining to unshakable institutions) living conventionally, realistically but with sophistication. What was said, not practised by them. So those were more contempted by the modern age writers.

In response to victorianism, we're having modernism like aspect of living life.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TWENTIETH CENTURY

The half century of the 'twentieth century' is overshadowed by two world wars. As war doesn't bring good, similarly was happened, consrquently in first and second world wars. The latter had more devastating effect than prior one and its repurcussions in the form of post-war were found in frustration, unemployement of the people and the nation. So it is said that "the 1930s phenomenon reflected in aftermath of second world war.

ENQUIRING TENDENCY

This age was an age of 'questioning' and 'enquiring'. Unconcerned of any subjects, subject wasn't passed without examination and if then in G. B. SHAWS words it was considered as mere 'dogmatism' and he is also attributed for giving "a generation of interrogation abroad". While H. G. WELLS's and other writers's contributions is as usual, atleast covering some of the parts of the subject areas and contributing likewise.

As a result we had 'Bloomsbury group' whose writers(Virginia Woolf, Leonardo Woolf, Vanessa, E. M. Forster etc) were involved in conversation, carrying on one another's home and hammering out a new idea. But had a contemptuous tendency of nature for trivial thinking people.

Instead of 'Art for art's sake' art for life's sake was emphasized. Which was working only for the sake of community and human good(Ref. Mathew Arnold: The study of poetry-art for life's sake).

As a result many supportive and opposite movements had taken place and played their parts in human life as well as in shaping society.

MASS PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRIAL DISASTER

The poor people and working classes had emerged out, during 1930s. Where unemployment was a big question. The poor people and their condition were focused and decided to fought out collectively with such situations, so they can come out of such trauma and better their life. While the increasement in money value had more challenged their surviving chances.

In addition to this due to mass production kind of approach, technological and mechanical aspects were taken into consideration and obviously the poeple who weren't well equipped with such instruments were thrown out.

Parallely 1930s and 1990s can be compared.

For Example

Modern Times(1936)

The Great Dictator(1940)

Refering to the latter one, the first world colonized the third world, through the economic control and immigration had taken place.

Due to immigration, a bulk of literature was produced by third world writers as well as through some of the first world writers.

As a result world banks and monetary funding at world level had opened up to done its part but not by being impartial.

HUMAN HOPELESSNESS

Due to mass production, people of this particular era weren't much adaptive and mechanised as such, that they failed to give their best and industrual disaster happened. Which aroused the necessity of roti, kapda and makan and rather than retaining hope they weren't any option.

For Example: Mathew Arnold's hopefulness in opposite to James  Joyce Ulysses Moly's faintness(Post-Modernism era).

In this manner the very thing of "human hopelessness can be seen, by giving it the beginning of hopefulness.

THE LITERATURE OF MODERN AGE

As the very age was influenced by the two world wars, obviously it had been comprising the elements of wars, psycology, sex, experiments, innovation(Science and Technology/Materialism).

Due to the latter progressing area, vorticism, cubism and futurism like artistic movements had taken place. 

Along with this surrealism, dadaism, impressionism etc can be remembered.

Virginia Woolf Experimented with form, language and style and as a result James Joyce, Virginia woolf and many others had contributed in inventing "the stream of consciousness" literary technique for creating fiction, particularly for this age. Likewise H. G. Wells, Wilfred Owen, Samuel Butler, T. S. Eliot, Sossan, Henry Masefield, G. B. Shaw, William James and Freud(Psychology) contributed their parts in development of literature.

CONCULSION

The very tendency of Twentieth century was of enquiry, interrogation, innovations, invention and experimentation in Science and Technology. Though it had many advantages, It comprised disadvantages too. Those were long lasting and contributing more in human struggle and suffer and to come out one needs most spiritual mind and body.

WORKS CITED