Literary Modernism

Literary modernism is explored, focusing on its origins, characteristics, and relevance. The discussion begins by defining modernism through time, key figures like Eliot, Joyce, and Woolf, and the theme of fragmentation driven by cultural shifts such as Einstein's theory of relativity and the rise of mass readership. Skepticism toward order, hierarchy, and knowable truth is identified as a driving force, leading to impressionism and the collapse of grand narratives. The conversation also tackles modernism's elitist tendencies, particularly the desire to exclude the masses from culture, as seen in the limited readership of publications like Eliot's "The Criterion" and modernist views on universal education. The influence of Freud, the impact of World War I, and the role of gender are also addressed.