THE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERNISM IN ENGLISH LITERATURE
Keywords:
Modernism, English literature, stream-of-consciousness, alienation, symbolism, fragmentation, experimental narrative, psychological depth.Abstract
Modernism in English letters was one of the most influential movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a response to rapid social, technological, and cultural changes, including industrialization, urbanization, and the aftermath of World War I. Modernist writers renounced traditional forms of writing and sought to work with new narrative methods, such as stream-of consciousness, fragmented structures, and multiple viewpoints. Key features of modernism include a focus on alienation and disillusionment, rich symbolism and imagery, psychological depth, and, lastly, disruption of conventional forms of narration and poetry. This article describes these features, pointing out the ways in which modernist literature is devoted to the labyrinthine nature of human experiences and also to the malaise of the contemporary world.
