ALIENATION IN THE MODERNISM MOVEMENT Approximately 1920 s1930

ALIENATION IN THE MODERNISM MOVEMENT Approximately 1920 s/1930 s

WORLD WAR I: The Basics ■ The “Great War” or the “War to End All Wars. ” ■ On July 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary) was assassinated by Yugoslav nationalist Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo. ■ In response, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. ■ Germany, Russia, Great Britain and France became involved because of treaties obligating them to defend other rates. ■ Western and Eastern fronts quickly opened along the borders on Germany and Austria-Hungary. ■ US became involved after there the Germans damaged US ships in the Atlantic. ■ Eventually both sides began to lose control as casualties increased. ■ War ended in the Late Fall of 1918. – Austria-Hungary was broken into smaller countries. – Germany was severely punished under the Treaty of Versailles.

WORLD WAR I: The Aftermath ■ Over 7 million people died in WWI. Even though American losses were a fraction of the losses experienced by Europeans, they still had a substantial impact on American thinking. ■ Belief that British propaganda and industrialists (arms makers referred to as “merchants of death”) forced America into a war that was not its own. ■ Americans in the 1910 s did not feel that a German- dominated Europe was a threat. Americans developed a pessimistic attitude; many felt disillusioned. ■ Their art and literature expressed a theme of alienation.

DEFINITION Merriam Webster defines alienation as “a withdrawing or separation of a person or a person’s affections from an object or a position of former attachment. ” Example: alienation from the values of one’s society and family – S. L. Haleck

Thematic Significance ■ Detestation of social establishments, which are oppressive and ethically ambiguous. ■ Society works against democracy and individualism. ■ Characters attempt to define their relationship with society leads them to alienation from their true identity (e. g. , characters believe they have no other identity than the one imposed on them by society).

Writers and Their Works ■ Edwin Arlington Robinson – Richard Cory – Miniver Cheevy ■ T. S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”

Extra Credit: DUE FRIDAY, FEB. 2, 2018 WORK ALONE!!! ■ Listen to “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles ■ Write 2 paragraphs explaining how the song exposes theme of alienation. ■ ADVICE: – Pick 2 of the characters in the song. – Write one paragraph about how each of those characters is alienated.