eng4200 blog#1

 The early 20th century saw the artistic and literary movement known as modernism. Early 1900s through early 1940s were the beginning and end of it. Society was searching for new forms of self-expression and representation that were more in tune with the ideas, experiences, and values of the increasingly industrialized and contemporary way of life in order to break away from the conventional means of expression. This philosophical and artistic movement sought to deviate from conventional beliefs and formal conventions in order to represent the changing nature of society. The principles of death, the purpose and pointlessness of existence, and free choice were all topics that modern American poets tackled. They also experimented with controversial themes that had never been touched upon in poetry. They discussed issues including ethnic identity, misogyny, racism, and the loss of innocence. After World War I, alienation started to emerge as a common topic. In attempting to navigate life in search of the ever-elusive American Dream, people became disillusioned and isolated. Modern American poets depicted an occasionally disjointed American psyche, with a society still affected by segregation, prejudice, and gender injustice. Langston Hughes and T. S. Eliot were two poets who struggled with the significance of being black and American, whereas Langston Hughes sought solace in loss.