Originating in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, the hallmarks of literary Modernism include an emphasis on the individual rather than society, stream-of-consciousness and other breaks from traditional literary formats, and rich psychological symbolism. This study guide collection summarizes and analyzes titles from some of the most renowned Modernist writers, including but not limited to T.S. Eliot, J.D. Salinger, Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway, and Katherine Mansfield.
Publication year 1950
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Lyric Poem, Modernism, Post-War Era, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust
Publication year 1914
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Objects
Tags Modernism, American Literature
Publication year 1929
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags The Lost Generation, Modernism, American Literature, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction
A Farewell to Arms, written by Ernest Hemingway and published in 1929, is the story of Frederic Henry, an officer with the Italian army in World War I, and his relationship with Catherine Barkley, a British nurse. Some have noted the similarities between the main character and Hemingway, who also served in the Italian army as an ambulance driver in 1918, and his nurse, Agnes Von Kurowsky, who cared for Hemingway after he was wounded.The... Read A Farewell to Arms Summary
Publication year 1914
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags Science / Nature, Modernism, American Literature
Publication year 1933
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Modernism
Publication year 1982
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Literary Criticism, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Philosophy, History: World, Sociology, Politics / Government, Modernism
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Colonialism
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modernism, Classic Fiction
Published in 1939, And Then There Were None is a mystery novel by Agatha Christie, best-selling novelist of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. With over 100 million copies sold, And Then There Were None is the world’s best-selling crime novel as well as one of the best-selling books of all time. It has had more adaptations than any other work by Agatha Christie, including television programs, films, radio broadcasts, and most... Read And Then There Were None Summary
Publication year 1940
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy
Tags Modernism, The Lost Generation, Relationships
Publication year 1916
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Language
Tags Classic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Irish Literature, Modernism, Education, Education, History: World
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is the 1916 debut novel by Irish author James Joyce. The novel tells the story of Stephen Dedalus, a thinly-veiled alter ego for Joyce, who embarks on a journey of artistic awakening. As a landmark novel in the history of literary modernism, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man has been hailed as one of the most important works of the 20th century and... Read A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Summary
Publication year 1959
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Play: Tragedy, Religion / Spirituality, History: European, Politics / Government, French Literature, Modernism, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
Becket or The Honor of God is a 1959 play by the French dramatist Jean Anouilh. It portrays a fictionalized version of the conflict that took place between King Henry II of England and the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, in the 12th century. The English translation of the play premiered on Broadway in 1960 to great acclaim and was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film in 1964.The central conflict of Becket, which ended in... Read Becket Summary
Publication year 1938
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Imagist poetry, Modernism
Publication year 1915
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature, American Literature, Modernism
Publication year 1918
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Modernism, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, LGBTQ, Classic Fiction
“Bliss” is a short story written by New Zealand author Katherine Mansfield. It was originally published in 1918 in The English Review and later republished in 1920 as a collection of short stories entitled Bliss and Other Stories. Katherine Mansfield was a contemporary of British writers such as Virginia Woolf (Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando), D. H. Lawrence (Sons and Lovers, Women in Love), and James Joyce (Ulysses, Dubliners). As a Modernist story, “Bliss” focuses on the... Read Bliss Summary
Publication year 1923
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community
Tags Harlem Renaissance, American Literature, Modernism, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science / Nature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Cane, Jean Toomer’s most famous book, was first published in 1923. The original publication of the novel was a foundational moment in the Harlem Renaissance literary movement. Cane’s reissue (after being out of print for many years) in 1967 came out during the Second Renaissance of African American literature. This guide cites the 2019 Penguin Books edition. This guide also briefly mentions lynching and other racial violence as they appear in the novel.Other work by... Read Cane Summary
Publication year 1911
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Modernism, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1932
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Colonialism
Tags Lyric Poem, Modernism, Philosophy, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, History: European, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1933
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Modernism, Animals
Publication year 1993
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Education
Tags Lyric Poem, Education, Modernism
Publication year 1921
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags History: European, Grief / Death, Modernism
Publication year 1904
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism
Tags Irish Literature, Modernism, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
“Eveline” is the fourth short story in James Joyce’s Dubliners collection, completed in 1907 and published in London in 1914. This story, like the others in Dubliners, reveals Joyce’s view of Ireland, then a British colony, as existing in a state of paralysis. Alongside this broader theme, “Eveline” also explores topics like duty versus freedom, English imperialism, and individual autonomy. Nearly a story of a young woman escaping the confines of her abusive and lonely... Read Eveline Summary