Before this period, individualism and experimentation were highly discouraged. When the modern period began, these two became core virtues. At the beginning of modernism, there were a lot of cultural shocks. World War 1 and 2 led to the blow of the modern age. After these world wars. Everyone was traumatized. The horrors of these world wars were evident in most peoples’ faces. With a feeling of uncertainty, no one knew where the world would head into.
Important Points About The Modern Period
The last half of the 19th century and early 20th century was marked by the rapid advancement of natural science and social science. Industrialization also led to rapid gains in material wealth. And the gap between the clergy and aristocrats widened.
English literature essay writing processes began in the early 20th century. And one of its key features was that it was opposed to the attitude that most people had at the time towards life. People started to regard it as hypocritical and having mean and superficial ideals. Hypocrisy during this period made writers rebellious. The representatives of modern English literature during this period played an important role in the advancement of literature to where we are today. In this post, we are going to share with you the most important representatives of modern essay on english literature together with their works. Let’s get started!
1. Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad was one of the most popular and prolific writers of his time. One of his popular works was the Heart of Darkness which was published in 1899 in Blackwood’s Magazine. It was formed into a book in 1902. In his book, you’ll get to read english literature analysis essays during the Victorian Era. The book surfaced when Queen Victoria was on the throne. However, it was published when Britain was in a new century under a new Monarch. The book discusses the weaknesses of Belgian Imperialism while interrogating the art of storytelling with all the aspects that come with it – trust, truth, and reliability. The book inspired the famous film, Apocalypse Now in 1979. And it’s one of the best reading materials for students.
2. T. S. Eliot
T.S Eliot was a famous poet whose works became a landmark of modern literature. One of his best poems was The Waste Land. This poem is considered to be one of the most important poems in modernism. In the poem, Eliot uses his personal experiences – knowledge of the capital, his marriage, and his nervous breakdown). However, he turns the poem into something universal. The poem was later re-written by Ezra Pound – the person Eliot dedicated to the final poem.
3. D. H Lawrence
David Lawrence is considered one of the most important representatives of modern English literature. He was born in a mining village in Nottinghamshire and brought up by parents who had conflicting views because they belonged to different classes. His father was a coal miner and had little education. On the other hand, his mother was a qualified and experienced teacher. She thought that marriage was beneath her and focused on providing quality education to her children so that they can avoid the hard life of coal miners. His life had a huge impact on his works. Some of his best works include The Rainbow, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, and Woman in Love.
4. James Joyce
James Joyce was born in 1882 in Dublin. His parents were staunch Catholics. He went to Catholic schools. But as he continued to study, he rejected the church. Inspired by his views and Ibsen’s influence, Joyce became a writer. He was among the people who were against Philistine’s bigotry in Dublin. Joyce was responsible for bringing several changes in conventional fiction by generating one of the best mediums of art. He clearly showed the chaos and crisis of consciousness in his works. He gave life to modern literature.
5. Virginia Wolf
Similar to James Joyce, Virginia Wolf was an amazing famous writer who wrote a novel that was set for a single day back in 1923. It later became one of the best novels in modern literature. The structure of her book was inspired by James Joyce’s works. Virginia loved the idea of writing a piece that was set for a single day. There are a lot of websites that have published this novel.
6. Ezra Pound
Similar to Eliot, Ezra was born in the US but later moved to London when he was a young man. He became a prolific writer who produced one of the longest and shortest pieces in literature. He wrote poems that later inspired one of the most ambitious works created by Eliot.
There are a lot of writers and poets that we haven’t included on our list who made a huge impact in the world of literature. When you start studying the works of these famous people, you will admire them. And maybe, you might end up writing a great novel or poem. Modernism was a huge concept that led to the evolution of literature, music, architecture, and art. There are a lot of websites and books that you can read if you aspire to become a successful writer. Thanks to these representatives of modern literature, you have everything you need to get started!
