Peter Cruz, Bradley Dorsey, Allan Balcita, Jeremiah Napoles

Modernism

Just like the name itself Modernism has to do with the rejection of old ideas due to the advances within the modern time .

It is the result of the new industrial world and changing social conditions.

During this era people began to stray away from old traditions seen in literature and art and moved into the new direction guided by innovations at the time.

What is Modernism?

1890-1950WWI and WWII occurred during this time

period.Many advances were made in science and

technology at the time as well.Poets aimed to challenge past ideas with new

techniques in literature.Poets tended to be pessimistic due to the

global shocks within this era.

Background

Rejects classical techniquesSome themes include: human nature,

freedom, spirituality, individuality, isolation and loneliness

Often used multiple perspectivesStill used traditional techniques such as:

allusions and metaphorsTechniques varied widely as each poet had

their own distinct styleUsually was not structured in stanzas; mainly

free verse

Modernism Poetry Techniques

EE Cummings•Born October 14, 1894, and died September 3, 1962.•Full name: Edward Estin Cummings•Was a professor of Sociology and Political Science at Harvard University.•Left Harvard to become an ordained minister of the South Congregational Church.•Spent his childhood attending Cambridge public schools, where he got inspiration to write his most famous poem, “In Just-”•Was a poet, painter, essayist, author, and playright•Experiments with form, punctuation, spelling, and syntax•Abandons original techniques for those of his own

r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r   whoa)s w(e loo)kupnowgath  PPEGORHRASS        eringint(o-aThe):leA     !p:S         a(rrIvInG .gRrEaPsPhOs)    torea(be)rran(com)gi(e)ngly,grasshopper;

r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r

Literary Techniques: Concrete Structure, Free Verse, Symbolism

“Grasshopper, who, as we look, now upgathering into himself, leaps, arriving to become, rearrangingly, a grasshopper.“

When the reader has reviewed the entire poem once or twice, he recreates in his mind the very effect of a grasshopper leaping.

This effect is partially produced by the fact that the syllables of "grasshopper" are rearranged acrostically four times (including the normal spelling); partially by the distribution of parentheses, punctuation marks, and capitals; and partially by the joining, splitting, and spacing of words.

r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r Analysis

Regulating the reader’s mind on HOW they interpret and read the poem themselves.

Many interpret this poem several ways:

r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r Analysis (cont.)

r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r Analysis (cont.)

Wallace StevensBorn October 2, 1879Attended Harvard

University from 1896- 1900

Famous Poems include:

- Valley Candle- Anecdote of a Jar- Sunday Morning- The Emperor of Ice

Cream

Anecdote of a JarI placed a jar in Tennessee,And round it was, upon a hill.It made the slovenly wildernessSurround that hill.

The wilderness rose up to it,And sprawled around, no longer wild.The jar was round upon the groundAnd tall and of a port in air.

Anecdote of a Jar

It took dominion everywhere.The jar was gray and bare.It did not give of bird or bush,Like nothing else in Tennessee.

Anecdote of a Jar

T- The story of the jar (Jar symbolizing mankind)P- A jar is placed on the hill, completely alone, with nature completely surrounding it, as if it was completely controlling the jar. Nature thinks it has complete power over the it, but the jar just sits there, as if it doesn't care about nature.S- The tone of poem at the start is showing loneliness, towards the end it becomes more positiveF- It uses personification and imagery and symbolism:

Personification in each stanza. Jar symbolizing mankind

TPSFAST

A- The author’s tone about it is simplistic and positive.S- Structure is free verse, 3 stanzasT- The poem is basically like a story of mankind. In the early years, we were more vulnerable to nature in every way. But in the present, We have more control over nature in ways that we are able to predict natural disasters before they actually happen and well are able to protect ourselves from the weather.Theme- Although nature is always around us, it won't affect our lives in a negative way.

TPSFAST cont.

T.S. Eliot Born September 26, 1888 and

died January 4, 1965 Read a lot growing up, which

led to him to begin writing at age 14

Later moved to England and became a citizen

Worked as an editor and director for a publishing house

Very religious, was reflected in many of his poems

Notable works: The Wasteland, The Hollow Men, Ash Wednesday, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

Miss Nancy EllicottStrode across the hills and broke them,Rode across the hills and broke them —The barren New England hills —Riding to houndsOver the cow-pasture.

Miss Nancy Ellicott smokedAnd danced all the modern dances;And her aunts were not quite sure how they felt about it,But they knew that it was modern.

Upon the glazen shelves kept watchMatthew and Waldo, guardians of the faith,The army of unalterable law.

Cousin Nancy

Hilda Doolittle (H.D) 1886-1961

Born September 10, 1886

Attended University of Pennsylvania

Her poetry was largely ignored due to inequality during her time.

Famous Works include:- Helen in Egypt- The Helmsman- Pear Tree- Sea Rose

An imagist and modernist poetUsed the name H.D to attain a wide audience

since women were not accepted as writers at the time.

Her style involves the use of strong images to articulate her ideas.

Used her writings to convey her strong feministic principles to the readers.

Themes include: women strength, human relationships with the changing world, equality between the sexes, and peace to the war stricken world.

Hilda Doolittle

Rose, harsh rose,marred and with stint of petals,meagre flower, thin,sparse of leaf,

more preciousthan a wet rosesingle on a stem—you are caught in the drift.

Sea Rose

Stunted, with small leaf,you are flung on the sand,you are liftedin the crisp sandthat drives in the wind.

Can the spice-rosedrip such acrid fragrancehardened in a leaf?

Sea Rose

Literary Techniques used include: diction, symbols and imagery. Symbols:- I believe she uses the rose as a symbol of a women. It describes the

appearance of the rose through hardships it faced. This relation is like that of a women suffering the unequal treatment during this time.

Diction- She uses certain words like harsh and meagre to give off a feeling of

bitterness that the rose goes through. This feeling gives off a sympathetic mood in the poem. Then a shift changes as she adds in “precious” which conveys an attitude of admiration of the perseverance the rose exhibits although it faces these obstacles.

Imagery:- As an imagist, Hilda uses the picture of a rose to discuss the theme of the poem itself. She discusses the strength women have although they are limited by society. The images she uses are also used to showcase the idea of the hardships women face.

Sea Rose Analysis

Modernist Art

Read the following poem carefully. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze how the speaker uses diction and symbolism to reveal her attitude toward the idea of equality between sexes.

Read the following poem carefully. Then write an essay in which you discuss how literary devices such as imagery, diction, and symbolism convey the overall idea of isolation in human nature.

AP Style Prompts

Now it’s your turn. Take about 5-10 minutes to create a poem based on the modernist style. Use one of the following themes:

-Loneliness-Freedom-Isolation-Individuality

Poetry Lesson

1. All of the following are modernist poetry themes EXCEPT:

A. LonelinessB. IndividualityC. RighteousnessD. Human Nature

Poetry Quiz

2. When did the Modernist movement begin?

A. 1945- 2009B. 1890- 1950C. 1650- 1700D. 1600- 1650

Poetry Quiz

3. What war occurred during the Modernist movement?

A. WWIB. Vietnam WarC. Civil WarD. Korean War

Poetry Quiz

4. How were women viewed as writers during this time?

A. They were greatly admiredB. They were equally admired to male

writersC. They were not accepted as writersD. None of the above

Poetry Quiz

5. Which of the following is not a Modernist poet?

A. Oscar WildeB. Hilda DoolittleC. T.S EliotD. Both A and C

Poetry Quiz

http://www.poets.org/

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/glossary-term/Modernism

http://www.bachelorandmaster.com/literaryterms/modernist-poetry.html

http://www.online-literature.com/periods/modernism.php

Resources