Chapter v 20th Century Literature 2021/2/21
2021/2/21 1 Chapter Ⅴ 20th Century Literature
1. Historical background: The growth of mass-circulation periodicals created a rich market place for popular writers o Wi stands as a great dividing line between the 19th century and contemporary America o a sense of the failure of political leaders and a belief in the futility of hope dominated 2021/2/21
2021/2/21 2 1. Historical background: ⚫ The growth of mass-circulation periodicals created a rich market place for popular writers. ⚫ WWI stands as a great dividing line between the 19th century and contemporary America. ⚫ A sense of the failure of political leaders and a belief in the futility of hope dominated
2. An Outline of 20th Century American Literature oThe lost generation "writers were devoid of faith and alienated from a civilization After the WWl, a group of new American dramatists emerged o During 1920s and 1930s, appeared Harlem Renaissance, a burst of literary achievement by Negro artists ● After wwⅡ, a new generation of American authors wrote in the skeptical, ironic tone o In the 1960s and 70s, they turned increasingly to experimental techniques 2021/2/21
2021/2/21 3 2. An Outline of 20th Century American Literature ⚫ “The Lost Generation” writers were devoid of faith and alienated from a civilization. After the WWI, a group of new American dramatists emerged. ⚫ During 1920s and 1930s, appeared “Harlem Renaissance”, a burst of literary achievement by Negro artists. ⚫ After WWⅡ, a new generation of American authors wrote in the skeptical, ironic tone. ⚫ In the 1960s and 70s, they turned increasingly to experimental techniques
3. Imagism The term imagism was invented by an American poet, Ezra pound who was living in london and closely associated with a small group of friends who were the first imagists As a literary movement, imagism lasted only a few years, but it was widely discussed, ridiculed, and parodied, and it had an important role in the development of open form poetry The imagists were trying to create poetry that was, as it was expressed by another of their founders T.E. Hulme a moment of discovery or awareness, created by effective metaphor which provides the sharp intuitive insight that is the essence of life 2021/2/21 4
2021/2/21 4 3. Imagism: ⚫ The term imagism was invented by an American poet, Ezra Pound, who was living in London and closely associated with a small group of friends who were the first imagists. ⚫ As a literary movement, imagism lasted only a few years, but it was widely discussed, ridiculed, and parodied, and it had an important role in the development of open form poetry. ⚫ The imagists were trying to create poetry that was, as it was expressed by another of their founders, T.E. Hulme, “a moment of discovery or awareness, created by effective metaphor which provides the sharp, intuitive insight that is the essence of life
4. American poets in 20th century o Ezra pound o Robert frost ● Carl Sandburg TS Eliot 2021/2/21 5
2021/2/21 5 4. American poets in 20th century: ⚫ Ezra Pound ⚫ Robert Frost ⚫ Carl Sandburg ⚫ T. S. Eliot
41 Ezra pounde In a station of the metro o This poem by Ezra Pound is perhaps the most famous of the imagist poems Pound used it as an example of what he meant by imagism in his introduction to the first collection of his friends' poems It is a description of people in the Paris subway on a rainy, dark night 2021/2/21
2021/2/21 6 4. 1 Ezra Pound: “In a Station of the Metro”: ⚫ This poem by Ezra Pound is perhaps the most famous of the imagist poems. Pound used it as an example of what he meant by imagism in his introduction to the first collection of his friends’ poems. It is a description of people in the Paris subway on a rainy, dark night
4.2 Robert Frost(1874-1963) Member of a New England family, Frost was born in San Francisco and taken at the age of ten to the New England farm country with which his poetry is identified A short period at Harvard was followed by further work making shoes, editing a country newspaper, teaching school, and finally farming This background of craftsmanship and husbandry had its effect upon his poetry in more than the choice of subjects for he demanded that his verse be as simple and honest as an axe or hoe After a long period of farming, he moved to England (1912-1915), where he published his first book of poems A Boy's n∥(1913) 2021/2/21 7
2021/2/21 7 4.2 Robert Frost ( 1874—1963) ⚫ Member of a New England family, Frost was born in San Francisco and taken at the age of ten to the New England farm country with which his poetry is identified. ⚫ A short period at Harvard was followed by further work, making shoes, editing a country newspaper, teaching school, and finally farming. ⚫ This background of craftsmanship and husbandry had its effect upon his poetry in more than the choice of subjects, for he demanded that his verse be as simple and honest as an axe or hoe. ⚫ After a long period of farming, he moved to England (1912—1915), where he published his first book of poems, A Boy’s Will (1913)
Robert frost:“ The road not taken” o Published in Mountain Interval(1916) The poet tells how the course of his life was determined when he came upon two roads that diverged in a ood forced to choose, he took the one less traveled by lAnd that has made all the difference 2021/2/21
2021/2/21 8 Robert Frost: “The Road Not Taken” ⚫ Published in Mountain Interval (1916). The poet tells how the course of his life was determined when he came upon two roads that diverged in a wood. Forced to choose, he “took the one less traveled by, /And that has made all the difference
Robert frosty Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (1923) o 1. What kind of " promises do you think the speaker had in mind? o 2. Critics have argued over whether or not the dark woods in this poem are a symbol of death. What would be your answer, and how would you support it? 2021/2/21 9
2021/2/21 9 Robert Frost: “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” (1923) ⚫ 1. What kind of “promises” do you think the speaker had in mind? ⚫ 2. Critics have argued over whether or not the dark woods in this poem are a symbol of death. What would be your answer, and how would you support it?
43 Carl Sandburg“Fog”(1916) o One of the classic American poems from the first years of modernist experimentation is Call Sandburg's Fog It compares the fog's drift over the city to a cat entering silently to sit for a moment and look down at the scene. Sandburg doesnt use the words like or as, so we are aware that the poem is a metaphor 2021/2/21 10
2021/2/21 10 4.3 Carl Sandburg: “Fog” (1916) ⚫ One of the classic American poems from the first years of modernist experimentation is Call Sandburg’s “Fog.” It compares the fog’s drift over the city to a cat entering silently to sit for a moment and look down at the scene. Sandburg doesn’t use the words like or as, so we are aware that the poem is a metaphor
