Imagism

Imagism I. Historical Background (1) The First World War (1914 – 1918) Mainly fought in Europe between two

opposite groups US attended the war at the end to share

the benefits as a winner. Two results of the war to US: Idealistic

views of war turned to disillusionment (found from Hemingway’s novels); economic boom

Imagism

(2) Science development (radio, automobile, movie)

(3) Losing faith (Nietzsche’s “death of God”) (purposeless, futile and chaotic life)

Imagism

4) Social changes “Jazz Age” (1920s); broken old

moral rules; women’s liberation; social reforms; racial

discrimination (Ku Klux Klan)

Imagism

All in all, the beginning of the 20th century is a chaotic age. It was also a transitional age. After 1920s, US society stepped into its modern times.

Imagism

(5) Literary scenes A large group of writers began to

make all kinds of literary experiments because they felt old literary form can’t express the new spirits.

Imagism

Since the 1920s, US literature stepped into the modern age. And the beginning part of the 20th century was called the second renaissance in American literature.

(First Nobel Prize, several great writers, Southern Renaissance, Harlem Renaissance)

Imagism

II. Imagist Movement 1. Three phrases (1) 1908 – 1909. London. T. E.

Hulme Basic principles (P159); more

discussion, less writing

Imagism

(2) 1912 – 1914. Ezra Pound Manifesto, three principles, first

anthology (P160) (3) 1914 – 1917. Amy Lowell No great achievements

Imagism

2. Contributions Offering a new way of writing Influenced lots of modern poets 3. Limitation A single dominate image is hardly

capable of sustaining long poems.

Imagism

4. Connections with Chinese poems

Picture-like characters, using of images, short and concise,

abundant connotation The imagists translated lots of

Chinese poems into English.

Imagism II. Ezra Pound (1855 – 1972) 1. Life (1) born in Idaho, raised in

Pennsylvania (2) entered University of Penn.,

studied Romance languages (3) traveled in Eu. and lead the

Imagist movement

Imagism (4) broke with Amy Lowell and lived in

Italy (5) supported Mussolini in the second

world war and after the war he was jailed because of betraying his motherland

(6) With the help of T. S. Elliot and some other famous writers, he was released and lived in hospital.

Imagism

2. Works Famous poems: “In a Station of the

Metro”; “A Pact” Collections: “Homage to Sextus Propertius”

(modern translation of Old Roman poems)

Imagism

“Hugh Selwyn Mauberley” (condemned the commercialization

and depravity of arts and showed his own point of views on poetry and art)

“Cantos”

Imagism 3. Analysis (1) He was influenced by Greek, Italy

and Chinese poets. (2) He wrote some fresh short poems

and also some all-inclusive long poems. (3) Personal tone; open and

spontaneous style (4) Difficult to read and study; great

influence on modern poetry