The Waste Land Modernism

Elusive and transitory in nature, modernism is less of an artistic genre, and more of a philosophical movement that rejects understood notions of the traditional while redefining literature, art, and their boundaries. Seeking to make sense of a changing world, the early modernist revolution saw drastic departures from traditional forms of art, literature, architecture, religion, philosophy, social values, and the sciences. Moreover, among the many factors that shape modernist art and literature specifically, they can be characterized by a deliberate rejection of the styles of the past; emphasizing instead innovation and experimentation in forms, materials, and techniques in order to create artworks that better reflected the modern society. …show more content…
In its five sections, he delves into themes of war, trauma, disillusionment, and death, illuminating the devastating effects of World War I. When it was first published, the poem was considered radically experimental. Eliot rejects traditional verse forms and instead juxtaposes images of popular culture with allusions to classical and ancient literature and myths. The title itself is indicative of Eliot’s attitude toward contemporary society, as he uses the idea of a sterile wasteland as a metaphor for a Europe devastated by war and desperate for a spiritual and cultural replenishment. The poem is deliberately obscure and fragmentary, incorporating variant voices, multiple points of view, and abrupt shifts in context. Ultimately both of the poems mentioned above, exemplify Eliot’s dialogue with modernism and its boundaries; his rejection of traditional modes of literature, his reliance on experimentation, his emphasis of the individual and the self-conscious, and his focus on city life and urban …show more content…
Van Gogh's Sunflower series was intended to decorate the room that was set aside for his house guest, Gauguin, in his studio and apartment in Arles. Using lush brushstrokes to build up the texture of the sunflowers, Van Gogh employed a wide spectrum of yellows to describe the blossoms, due in part to recently invented pigments that made new colors and tonal nuances possible. Van Gogh used the sunny hues to express the entire lifespan of the flowers, from the full bloom in bright yellow to the wilting and dying blossoms rendered in melancholy mustardy brown. The traditional painting of a vase of flowers is given new life through Van Gogh's experimentation with line and texture, infusing each sunflower with the fleeting nature of life, as well as the artist's