english-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-before

15英语本科1班金楚颖20150502011037Contents:01.Socialbackground02.EnglishModernismNo.1CapitalismNo.2TwoworldwarsNo.3GreatDepressionNo.4Workersmovement&socialreformNo.1CapitalismBritaincapitalismwitnessedaperiodofrapidgrowth.Monopolycapitalismdisplacedfreecompetitionandplayadecisiveroleineconomiclife.CononialexpansionmadetheBritishEmpiretheleadingimperiallistpoweroftheworld.No.2TwoworldwarsInAugust1934,BritainwenttowaragainstGermanybecauseofthelattersinvasionofBelgium.ThisistheFirstWorldWar.In1939,BritainwasdirvenintotheSecondWorldWarinspiteofherpolicyofappeasement.Influence:WeakeningtheBritainseconomicpowerwitnessingthedeclineoftheBritishEmpire.No.3GreatDepressionIn1931,anunprecedentedbusinessdepressionbeganinBritain.Thisdepressionwasrenderedfarmoresevereandmostimportantly,bytheBritishdefaultongoldpaymentinSeptember,1931.No.4Workersmovement&socialreformTheEnglishworking-classmovementreachedanewheightintheyears1911-1941.Threegreatstrikes,respecivelyofrailwaymen,coalminerandLondontransportworkers,paralyzedmuchofthecountrysindustry.Duetotheworkersmovements,awide-spreaddemandforsocialreformbreedsaspiritofrebellionanddespair.Engishtakessomemeasurestochangepeoplescondition.Tosomeextent,becauseofthecapitalism,thesciencehasgreatlydevelopedandtheindustrieshaveexpanded.Allthesechangeshaveanenormousinfluenceonliterature.Modernismislooselyasynonymofanythingcontemporary.Strictly,Modernismwasaninternationalmovmentinliteratureandarts,especiallyinliterarycriticism,whichbeganinthelate19thcenturyandflourisheduntil1950s.Modernismtakestheirrationalphilosophyandthetheoryofpsycho-analysisasitstheoreticalbase.Themodernistwritersconcentratemoreontheprivateandsubjectivethanonthepublicandobjective,mainlyconcernedwiththeinnerbeingofanindividual.Themajorthemesofthemodernistliteraturearethedistorted,alienatedandillrelationshipsbetweenmanandnature,manandsociety,manandman,manandhimself.