Topics for final exam

Literature of American Modernism

Sharp break with tradition Modern life seemed faster, scientific, technologically advanced, more mechanised Yet, also empty and routine, loss of human quality, old family and community bonds Literature strove to reconcile this disparity Technology influenced techniques in art: the electric light contrasted with an outer darkness (signifying tradition) Meaning became more important than form Vision and viewpoint represent modern novel: the telling more important than the tale. Many historians have described the period between the two World Wars as a “traumatic coming of age.” • In a post-Industrial Revolution era, America had moved from an agrarian nation to an urban nation. • The lives of these Americans were radically different from those of their parents. Embraced nontraditional syntax and forms. • Challenged tradition • Writers wanted to move beyond Realism to introduce such concepts as disjointed timelines. • An overarching theme of Modernism was “emancipation” Roots of Modernism • Influenced by Walt Whitman’s free verse • Prose poetry of British writer Oscar Wilde • British writer Robert Browning’s subversion of the poetic self • Emily Dickinson’s compression • English Symbolist writers, especially Arthur Symons

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    American Drama of the XX century
    

American drama imitated English and European theater until well into the 20th century. Often, plays from England or translated from European languages dominated theater seasons. An inadequate copyright law that failed to protect and promote American dramatists worked against genuinely original drama. So did the "star system," in which actors and actresses, rather than the actual plays, were given most acclaim. Americans flocked to see European actors who toured theaters in the United States. In addition, imported drama, like imported wine, enjoyed higher status than indigenous productions. During the 19th century, melodramas with exemplary democratic figures and clear contrasts between good and evil had been popular. Plays about social problems such as slavery also drew large audiences; sometimes these plays were adaptations of novels like Uncle Tom's Cabin. Not until the 20th century would serious plays attempt aesthetic innovation. Popular culture showed vital developments, however, especially in vaudeville (popular variety theater involving skits, clowning, music, and the like). Minstrel shows, based on African-American music and folkways-- performed by white characters using "blackface" makeup -- also developed original forms and expressions.

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