The English literature of the middle of the XX century.

 

The XXth cent English literature was remarkable for a great diversity of artistic values and artistic methods. The age being what it was literature naturally responded to its spirit and presented an unprecedented variety of social, ethic and asthetic attitudes. Following the introduction of new modes of thinking in natural science sociology and psychology literature tried to absorb all this material in to literary form.

 

The years between 1917 and 1930 form the first period of the English 20th century literature. These were the years of changes, basic religious and political beliefs like fascism or questioned and the writers were greatly influenced by various philosophical theories, decadent in nature. These theories led to the creation of works marked by severe pessimism (Herbert Wells). There was also the time of foundation of an extremely important for the development of literature in England method which was called "The Stream of Consciousness". James Joyce and Virginia Wolf.

 

The second period in the development of modern literature was between 1930s and the end of 2WW. This period is marked by a struggle between the writers representing different generations of realism and decadence (Richard Oldridge and Graham Green).

 

The third period 1950-1980 is marked by a new trend which eventually got the the name of Angries. This period symbolizes post-war depression (social, economic and moral) and disillusionment with the way in which the humanity develops. The period of the Angries was followed by the so-called working-class novel the major interest of which was the prospectives of the youth in the post war world.

 

27.03.12

Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) was born in Bromley, Kent was educated to be a shop keeper as his father. He graduated from south Kenxington college and continued his work in a position of a teacher in a local school and scientific journalist in different schools of the neighborhood. Eventually he took up writing as his career. He wrote more than a hundred books as well as pamphlets, plays for the radio and television. He is best known for his "fantasies" which is the official term for fictionalized scientific prediction. Wells laid heavier stress on the consciousness of his changing nation and analized the feelings and ambitions of the people in the light of the nation's future. He firmly believed that the development of science benefits man only if his life is based on the principles of justice and humanism. Otherwise scientific progress is basically dangerous with its potential for distruction.The best examples of his scientific sociological fiction are "The time machine" (1895), "The stolen Bacillus" (1895), "the invisible man" (1897), "the war of the worlds" (1898), "the first man on the moon" (1901), "the war in the air" (1908).

Herbert Wells English class society comedies, e.g. "Love and mister Lewisham" (1900), "the history of mister Polly" (1910), "Kepps" (1905). His novel "Mister Britling sees it through" is a very important novel in terms of its protesting against actual atrocity of war (1903). Besides Wells created a series of modern educational works: "The outline of history" (1920), "the science of life" (1929), "the work wealth and happiness of mankind" (1932). Generally we see the evolution of the writer, Wells started from the works, major idea of which was to tell what was good for the human kind and what was absolutely impossible if the humankind wanted to thrive. At the end of his career he took up writing deeply philosophical educational essays, the purpose of which to analyze what the humanity have reached in this goal.

 

Virginia Wolf (1882-1941) was born in Duckworth publishing family. Her father was a literary critic, a friend of Tennison, Mathew Arnold and George Elliot. He also was the founder of the dictionary of national biography. Virginia was brought up and educated at home primarily by her father that is why she was very attached to him. In 1895 following the death of her mother she had the first of numerous nervous breakdowns following the death of her father in 1904 she moved with her sister and two brothers to Bloomsberry she began writing professionally in 1905 initially for the Times literary supplement. In her first novel "the voyage out" (1915) between the wars Wolf became the significant figure in London literary society and also a member of the Bloomsberry group. In March 1941 she drowned herself in the river Ouse at that time she had already published 10 major novels and over 500 essays.

"The voyage out" (1915) is set in South America and tells of the emotions of the tourists somewhere near the amazing river. Thus wasthe first time she actually applied "the stream of consciousness" and the book is mostly interesting for her paying major attention to the emotions of the characters, not their behavior. The whole scene is imaginary but the story can be read as an allegory of artistic creation. This work receiving mixed reviews was followed by "night and day" (1919) a realistic novel about the lives of two friends Mary Katherine. The next novel "Jacob's Room" was based on the life and death of her brother Thoby. Later the two major novels followed: "to the lighthouse" (1927) and "the waves" (1931). The last one is considered to be the most difficult other novels. It follows in soliloquies (monologue) the lives of 6 people from childhood to old age. After writing "the waves" Wolf was accused of not being concerned with people but with poetic symbols. Wolf's mood swings: depression, physical ailments, or what was called "neurosthenic syndrome" became palpable in her books. Much of her writing reflected inner conflicts in spite of that Wolf is known to develop an innovative literary technique in order to reveal female experience and find an alternative to the dominating musculine view of reality. She also tried to get under the "surface" of reality y means of using less restricted presentation of life in this aim she applied "the stream of consciousness" as a major technique used interior monologue and completely abandoned linear narrative (последовательное повествование).

Virginia Wolf's concern with the feminist thematics is dominant in her latest works. In the novel "A room of one's own" (1929) Wolf tried to examine the obstacles and prejudices against the female writers. She made an unusual attempt to separate women as objects of representation and women as authors of representation and also argued that a change in the forms of literature was necessary because most of it had been made by "men out of their own needs for their own uses". The peak of her feminist philosophy "Three gineas" in which she urged women to claim for their own history and literature.

As an essaist Wolfwas prolific.

 

3.04.12

James Joyce (1882- 1941) was born in Dublin. His family was initially well off as Dublin merchants with bloodlines that connected them to old Irish nobility. James's father was a fierce Irish catholic patriot. His political and religious influences are most evident in Joyce's 2 key works: "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", "Ulysses". As a result of their steadily diminishing wealth and James's father habitual unemployment as well as his drinking and spending habits. It was difficult for the Joyce to retain their previous social standing. Young James was sent to a Jesuit school that was considered to be the best preparatory school in Ireland. At this point in his life it seemed evident that Joyce was to enter the priesthood. A decision that would have pleased his parents. But in the course of time as Joyce made various contacts with the members of the so called Irish literary Renaissance. His interest in the priesthood vanished. Indeed Joyce became increasingly critical of Ireland and its conservative elements especially the church. In opposition to his mother's wishes Joyce left Ireland in 1902 to pursue a medical education in Paris. He didn't return until his mothers death. After this he continued in Ireland working as a school teacher but could only stand it for a year. After that he returned to the continent drifting in and out of the medical school in Paris before he eventually took up residence in Zurich. It was during this period that Joyce began writing professionally. In 1905 Joyce completed a collection of 8 stories and titled as “Dubliners”. Joyce's next major work “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” appeared in 1914. At that moment Joyce and his works were discovered by Ezra Pound, a famous American writer. It was with assistance of pound a prominent literary figure of the time that Joyce came in contact with the most significant writers of the period in the USA. Soon enough the name of James Joyce became well known and highly recognized as a forerunner of the existential modernism. When “Ulysses” in Paris in 1922 many ….. immediately hail the work as genius. With his inventive narrative style and engagement with multiple philosophical themes Joyce has established himself as a leading modernist of the period. The novel charts the passage of One Day the 16th of June 1904. as represented in the life of an Iris Jew named Leopold Bloom. Who plays the role of an Ulysses одиссей by wandering thought the streets of Dublin. Despite the fact that Joyce was writing in self-imposed exile living in Paris, Zurich the novel is noted for the incredible amount of accuracy and detail regarding the physical and geographical features of Dublin.

Thematically similar to Joyce's previous works Ulysses examines the relationship between the modern man and his myth in history focusing on contemporary questions of Irish political and cultural independence. He also examined the effects of organized religion on the soul and the cultural and moral decay producing by economic development and lightened urbanization. While Ulysses was hailed by some as a genius work the novel was band from both UK and USA on obscenity charges. It was not until 1934 that the decision was abandoned and the permission was granted to print and distribute Ulysses in the USA 2 years later the novel was legalized in Britain. The last work of Joyce was "Finnegan's Wake". This one was considered to be even more baffling than Ulysses and became a critical failure which striped Joyce of many of his former admirers. At the out break of WW II Joyce was forced for Switzerland where he died of a stomach ulcer at the age of 58. Though he prestige faded towards the end of his life. Joyce regained literary prominence and Ulysses now stands as the definitive text of the anglo-american modernist movement.

 

Richard Aldington (1892-1962) was born in Hampshire and educated at Dover college and unoversity of London. Although he left without taking a degree,he completed his education successfully. In the years shortly before the 1ww he made his name as a promising young poet. In 1915 he published a collection of poems and titled "Images old and new". By 1916 he was in the army from where he returned with the bad case of shell shock. Until he recovered he earned a living by translations and literary journalism. When he eventually began creative writing it was in prose. Aldington's "Death of a hero" (1929) is a passionate fruit outburst of anger and hatred created by his war experiences he felt. When he was on the war field he understood that any war is the most inhuman thing and the people suffering are the most poor creatures. "Death of a hero" is regarded as one of the most powerful anti-war novels. It is a severe accusation of all the warmongers and people who a ready to send other people to die if it fits for their purposes. Aldington shows his deep concern and compassion for the post-war "lost generation". He also expressed the same attitude in the collection of stories "Roads to Glory" (1930) and a few minor post-war novels of which "all men are enemies" (1933) is the most popular. During 2ww Aldington immigrated to the USA. From where he moved to France. In his later years he emerged as a competent biographer with "Wellington" (a famous American general of 2ww),"Portrait of a genius, but..." which is a biographical study of D.H. Lawrence(1950).

Basically all the creative activity reveals strong links with the traditions of the 19th century critical realism.

 

10.04.12

 

Graham Green (1904-1991) was born in Berkamstead and educated at the local school where his father was a head master. He got his higher education at Oxford and initially worked as a sub-editor of "The Times". He established his reputation as a writer with the publication of his novel "Stambul Train" (1933). He classified this novel as an "entertainment" in order to distinguish this novel for more serious works of his. The major theme of the novel is betrayal. Decorated by the details of thriller, adventure novel and political pamphlet. He also wrote 4 more of such entertainments: "A gun for sale" (1936), "The confidential agent" (1939), "The Ministry of fear" (1943), "Loser takes all" (1955). In 1935 Green made the journey across Liberia. Which was described as "journey without maps" which dealt with a problem of discrimination of black people by the white ones on theterritory of Africa. Since 1926 Green positioned himself as a roman catholic. And so he wrote his explicitly catholic oriented novel "Brighton Rock" (1938). The same year Green was commissioned to visit Mexico and report on religious persecution there. As a result of this journey he wrote a travel book "The lawless roads" and also "the power and the glory" which was awarded a Hawthornden Prize (1940). This year he became a literary editor of "the Spectator" and the following year he undertook work for the Foreign offices whitch sent him to Sierra Leone. His most important post-war novels are "The heart of the matter" (1948) which is set in West Africa, "The quiet American" (1955) is set in Vietnam during the war of liberation against the French, "Our man in Hawanna" (1958). the last novel is a burlesque of British intelligence (Британская разведка) operations in pre-revolutionarry Cuba. Graham Green was a skillful story-teller with a subtle narrative technique and a style deliberately unemotional but forceful and gripping. His main concern as a writer was the world at its large. The attitude of his as a human being was compationed interest in man's difficulties and individual's responsibility for the sufferings of human kind. This compassion persuaded the writer to search the European, African and american continents in a desire to find the reason for the people's sufferings throughout the world. The answer which he was able to find was the universal, social and political injustice caused by financial reasons mostly. He was a writer with a sense of history. But he is mostly respected by a deep moral message and uncompromising critical attitude to the cruelty of imperialism.

 

 

Angry young men

I n the middle of 50s post war disillusionment and devergence between hopes and reality determined the character of fiction created by a group of writers who came collectively to be known as "The angry young men". Among them were Kingsley Amis, John Wain, John Braine, John Osborn, Collin Wilson. It is important to note that they didn't belong to a clearly defined movement. Far from it they attacked one another in the press and some were even reluctant to appear in the same publications. But they had one thing in common - an attitude of non-conformity to the established social order. Through their characters these writers were eager to describe their anger with society, an anger modified by the fact that it was expressed from the point of view of men who were themselves products of "Wellfare state" (is a system of social security for the workers in nationalized industries proved to be a deception because the benefits grantedby this system were largely nullified by a steady increase of indirect taxation). The major characters of Kingsley Amis's book "Lucky Jim", John Wain's book "Hurry on down", John Braine's book "Room at the top", Collin Wilson's "the outsiders" and Osborn's "Look back in anger" no matter how different they are represent the frustrated young generation who defy everybody in authority. They do not seem to fit in very fewes to put up with society's conventions. Their statements express both political sceptisism and disgust with personal in security. Their anger originates in their inability to communicate with others as fully and meaningfully as they would like to. All of them are intelligent young men from the lower or lower middle class families educated at provincial universities, but they are let loose in a society dominated more than ever by ruthless class distinctions which will never let them become successful wealthy and prominent In the society.

 

The working-class novel

 

An important development of late 50s and early 60s having a direct connection with outburst of the Angries was the emergence of the working-class novel. In their vigorous fiction Allan Sillitoe, Sid Chaplin, Stan Barstow and David Storey tried to provide the lower class prospective of the post war situation in Britain. The defiance of authority, the attitude of resentment a working men's constant struggle in a hostile world, all these gave their characters a certain unity of fellow feeling directed against the highest classes exploiting their physical and spiritual powers. Allan Sillitoe who sets his novels against (на фоне) the lowest depths of England's grimy industrial cities makes his reader realize that his young heroes are unable to fulfill themselves within the prison of class-bound system.