Modernism:: A Cultural History

Book Details

• Author: Tim Armstrong

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Binding: Hardcover

• Release Date: 01-11-2017

• ISBN: 9788131608791

• Languages: English

About the Book
Modernism: A Cultural History offers a fresh and engaging study of literary modernism, aiming to define it not only by its aesthetic qualities but also by its connections to broader cultural and historical contexts. Written for a general audience and students alike, the book explores modernism’s interaction with the shifting landscapes of the modern world, delving into topics such as market culture, politics, gender, race, and the culture of science and technology. Armstrong argues that modernism was less about revolt and more about engaging with and reflecting the changes in the world, particularly the trauma and disruption caused by the Great War.

Through the examination of various literary movements—such as Imagism, Surrealism, and the Harlem Renaissance—the book highlights modernism's complex relationship with time, culture, and politics. Armstrong looks at the work of both canonical figures like Pound, Eliot, and Woolf, as well as lesser-known writers like Mary Butts, Muriel Rukeyser, and Sterling Brown. This wide-ranging study provides insights into modernist themes like obscurity, the study of consciousness, and modernism’s engagement with race, empire, and science.

Contents

1. Modernity, Modernism and Time

2. Mapping Modernism

3. Modernism, Mass Culture and the Market

4. Reform! Bodies, Selves, Politics, Aesthetics

5. The Self and the Senses

6. The Vibrating World: Science, Spiritualism, Technology

7. Modernism’s Others: Race and Empire

About the Author
Tim Armstrong is a Professor of Modern Literature at Royal Holloway, University of London. His research focuses on modernism, twentieth-century literature, and cultural history.