Estrangement in W B Yeats and Thomas Hardy
“A recurring characteristic of Modernism is the estrangement of the individual from his/her world: the outside world becomes unreal, uncanny, a place in which the individual can no longer feel at home.” What evidence do you find of such estrangement in the writing of the period?
The late 19th century and early 20th century were times of great spiritual and social upheaval. It was an era in which many external values of the previous century were being challenged; faith in the government was in question, as were social class and the Christian belief system. The testing of these ideals (which had hitherto been cornerstones of society, and even given many lives purpose), left people in a previously inexperienced state of cynicism and subjectivity. As the zeitgeist moved from confidence to speculation, so did the literary works being produced. Modernism was a movement the sought a new centre of order for the now chaotic world, as old aesthetics and beliefs simply did not seem to fit anymore. This sense of aloneness and being unstuck from reality is a quintessential trait of early 20th century texts. By examining the work of Thomas Hardy and William Butler Yeats (two contemporary poets of the time), a real sense of the estrangement experienced comes across.
Many social and political crises around the turn of the century aided the development of Modernism (approximately 1890 onwards). Europe was in a state of pandemonium. Considering the massive loss of life due to WWI (1914–18), and the religious and political conflict in Northern Ireland, Western consciousness was in turmoil. With such a breakdown civilisation, the idea of progress and reason seemed all but abandoned, resulting in the questioning of nationality and political authority. The gap between the proletariat and bourgeoisie was addressed by Marxism, and the theories of ‘Ideology’ and ‘False Consciousness’ was hypothesised, leading people to question the way in which the perceived life, and even religion.
The late 19th century and early 20th century were times of great spiritual and social upheaval. It was an era in which many external values of the previous century were being challenged; faith in the government was in question, as were social class and the Christian belief system. The testing of these ideals (which had hitherto been cornerstones of society, and even given many lives purpose), left people in a previously inexperienced state of cynicism and subjectivity. As the zeitgeist moved from confidence to speculation, so did the literary works being produced. Modernism was a movement the sought a new centre of order for the now chaotic world, as old aesthetics and beliefs simply did not seem to fit anymore. This sense of aloneness and being unstuck from reality is a quintessential trait of early 20th century texts. By examining the work of Thomas Hardy and William Butler Yeats (two contemporary poets of the time), a real sense of the estrangement experienced comes across.
Many social and political crises around the turn of the century aided the development of Modernism (approximately 1890 onwards). Europe was in a state of pandemonium. Considering the massive loss of life due to WWI (1914–18), and the religious and political conflict in Northern Ireland, Western consciousness was in turmoil. With such a breakdown civilisation, the idea of progress and reason seemed all but abandoned, resulting in the questioning of nationality and political authority. The gap between the proletariat and bourgeoisie was addressed by Marxism, and the theories of ‘Ideology’ and ‘False Consciousness’ was hypothesised, leading people to question the way in which the perceived life, and even religion.
References: Brown, A D., 2011a. Introductory: A Cultural Shift. Lecture Notes, Bangor University, unpublished. Brown, A D., 2011b. Hardy’s Poetry of Re-membering. Lecture Notes, Bangor University, unpublished. Brown, A D., 2011c. Victorians and Modernisms: Hardy’s Poetry. Lecture Notes, Bangor University, unpublished. Corns, T N., 2011. W. B. Yeats and Irish History. Lecture Notes, Bangor University, unpublished. Hardy, T., 1994. The Works of Thomas Hardy. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Ltd. Price, S T., 2011a. Modernism. Lecture Notes, Bangor University, unpublished. Price, S T., 2011b. W. B. Yeats: An Introduction. Lecture Notes, Bangor University, unpublished. Yeats, W B, 1994. The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Ltd.