AMERICANMODERNISM

1914-1946

AFTER THE GREAT WAR

• The devastation of World War I brought about an end to the sense of optimism that characterized the years leading up to the war.

• This more negative, or realistic, view of the world, and the technological advances, gave birth to Modernism

MODERNISM

• Modernist artists tried to capture the essence of modern life.

• They reflected the fragmentation of the modern world by making their works a fragment, or slice, of life.

• They often got rid of the exposition and explanations found in most stories, and even had pieces that never resolved.

MODERNIST POETS

• Modernist poets abandoned traditional poetry forms and meters and embraced free verse.

• They felt that by writing free verse they could better capture the unpredictable nature of life.

• The theme or meaning of their work was usually implied instead of directly stated.

WORK FOR IT

• The lack of obvious meaning or themes created a sense of uncertainty, much like the uncertainty of life.

• It also forced readers to draw their own conclusions about the works.

• Modernists demanded more from their readers than earlier American writers.

THE IMAGISTS

• An offshoot of Modernism was the Imagist Poetry movement, which lasted from 1909 to 1917.

• Instead of focusing on telling a story, Imagists created hard, clear, concrete images, using the language of everyday speech.

H.D.• H.D. (Hilda Doolittle)

• 1886-1961

• Poet friend Ezra Pound submitted three of her poems to Poetry magazine under the name “H.D., Imagiste”

• And that’s how the Imagist movement was born.

EZRA POUND

• (1885-1972)

• Was both a poet and an editor.

• Insisted that poets “make it new,” which inspired writers to go beyond the normal conventions and styles.

POETRY BY THE POUND“In a Station of the Metro”

by Ezra Pound

The apparition of these faces in the crowd;

Petals on a wet, black bough

Yeah, that’s it.This poem began as 30 lines, but Pound edited it down to only these

two lines, getting rid of anything that didn’t help create the image.

WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS

• 1883-1963• He focused on

capturing the essence of modern American life by depicting ordinary people, objects and experiences using current, everyday language.

“The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos Williams

so much dependsupon

a red wheel barrow

glazed with rainwater

beside the whitechickens.

“This is Just to Say” by William Carlos Williams

I have eatenthe plumbsthat were inthe iceboxand whichyou were probablysavingfor breakfast

Forgive methey were deliciousso sweetand so cold

“Pear Tree” by H.D.

Silver dustlifted from the earth,higher than my arms reach,you have mounted,O silverhigher than my arms reachyou front us with great mass;

no flower ever openedso staunch a white leaf,no flower ever parted silverfrom such rare silver;

O white pear,your flower-tuftsthick on the branchbring summer and ripe fruitsin their purple hearts.

“Heat” by H.D.O wind, rend open the heat,cut apart the heat,rend it to tatters.

Fruit cannot dropthrough this thick air-fruit cannot fall into heatthat presses up and bluntsthe points of pearsand rounds the grapes.

Cut the heat-plow through it,turning it on either sideof your path.