Modernist poetry in English

Modernist poetry is a mode of writing characterised by two main features. The first of these is technical innovation in the writing through the extensive use of free verse. The second is a move away from the Romantic idea of an unproblematic poetic 'self' directly addressing an equally unproblematic ideal reader or audience.

Related Topics:
Free verse - Romantic

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Modernist poetry in English is generally considered to have emerged in the early years of the 20th century with the first appearance of the Imagist poets. In common with many other modernists, these poets were writing in reaction to what they saw as the excesses of Victorian poetry, with its emphasis on traditional formalism and overly flowery poetic diction. In many respects, their criticism of contemporary poetry echoes what William Wordsworth wrote in the Preface to Lyrical Ballads to instigate the Romantic movement in British poetry over a century earlier.

Related Topics:
20th century - Imagist - Poet - Victorian - Poetry - Formalism - Poetic diction - William Wordsworth - Lyrical Ballads

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In general, the modernists saw themselves as looking back to the best practices of poets in earlier periods and other cultures. The models they looked to included ancient Greek literature, Chinese and Japanese poetry, the troubadours, Dante and the medieval Italian philosophical poets (such as Guido Cavalcanti), and the English Metaphysical poets.

Related Topics:
Greek literature - Chinese - Japanese poetry - Troubadours - Dante - Italian - Philosophical - Guido Cavalcanti - English - Metaphysical poets

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Much of the early poetry produced by these writers took the form of short, compact lyrics. However, as modernist poetry in English developed over the course of the century, the writing of longer poems came to the fore. These long poems represent the main contribution of the modernist movement to the 20th century English poetic canon.

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