Poetry/Modernist

Classical	Renaissance	Romanticism	Victorian	Modernist	Contemporary	AtO

Modernist poetry refers to a wide-ranging cultural movement that emerged in the early 20th century and is characterized by a radical break with traditional forms and values.

General Characteristics

Some of the general characteristics of modernist poetry include: Experimentation with form: Modernist poets often experimented with new forms of poetry, including free verse, fragmented or disjointed lines, and unconventional structures. Use of symbolism and allusion: Modernist poets frequently used symbols and allusions to represent complex ideas or emotions. Emphasis on individual experience: Modernist poets often focused on the individual experience rather than the collective or universal. Critique of society: Many modernist poets criticized the social and cultural norms of their time, often using their poetry as a means of social and political commentary. Ambiguity and fragmentation: Modernist poets often employed ambiguity and fragmentation to reflect the fragmented nature of modern life and thought. Stream-of-consciousness: Modernist poets sometimes used the stream-of-consciousness technique to explore the inner workings of the mind and to depict the flow of thoughts and emotions. Rejection of traditional literary conventions: Modernist poets rejected traditional literary conventions such as rhyme, meter, and narrative structure. Interest in multiple perspectives: Modernist poets often explored multiple perspectives and points of view, including those of marginalized and minority groups. These characteristics are not exhaustive, but they provide a general sense of the key features of modernist poetry.

W. H. Auden
“Musée des Beaux Arts” “The More Loving One” “O What Is That Sound”
Hart Crane
“Exile”
T. S. Eliot
“Ash Wednesday VI” “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” The Waste Land
Robert Frost
“Dust of Snow”
Langston Hughes
“Let America Be America Again”
Dylan Thomas
“Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night”
William Butler Yeats
“Leda and the Swan” “Sailing to Byzantium” “The Second Coming”