20th Century Isms
Symbolism:
⏣ Most in uential of early reaction to realism — rooted in France 1880 & died out in early
20th century
⏣ Anti-realistic →denial that truth is to be found in evidence supplied by sense/ rational
thought
⏣ Suggests truth = grasped intuitively
⏣ Attempts to dramatise impressions & feelings → subjective reality
⏣ Play = metaphor
⏣ Symbols used to evoke feelings & states of mind
⏣ Drama = mysterious
⏣ Keynotes of production = simplicity
Expressionism:
‣ Captured feeling of dissatisfaction w/ authority & materialism associated w/ the war
(WWI) ▹▹ used sarcasm & satire to attack increasing industrialisation & materialism
‣ No such thing as ‘absolute truth’ → fundamental truth is to be found w/in humankind (its
spirit; desires; and visions)
‣ External reality should be reshaped until Brough to harmony w/ inner attributes
‣ Believed that beneath façade = hidden reality consisting of secrets & unconscious
desires, aspirations, con icts frustrations & hallucinations
‣ Subjective reality
‣ Expressionists regard materialism & industrialism = chief blocks to expressionist goals
& major destroyers of the soul
‣ Aim = more humanitarian outlook on life
‣ Focus on the journey of the soul of the main character▹▹ normal order of events &
unties of time, place & action = disrupted (create heightened effect) → psychological
introspection & re ection
Futurism:
⌘ Rejected the past & wished to transform humanity
⌘ Glori ed the energy & speed of the 'machine age’
⌘ Sought to compress time & space → show multiple unrelated scenes simultaneously in
1 dramatic setting
⌘ Amalgamation of the arts (favouring - circuses; music halls; nightclub acts⇢ any
performance styles that broke traditional proscenium arch setting
⌘ Opposed traditional staging
⌘ Employed variety of art forms
⌘ Jolt audience appreciation & awareness of multimedia techniques
⌘ Overall impression was somewhat chaotic
fi fl fl fl
Symbolism:
⏣ Most in uential of early reaction to realism — rooted in France 1880 & died out in early
20th century
⏣ Anti-realistic →denial that truth is to be found in evidence supplied by sense/ rational
thought
⏣ Suggests truth = grasped intuitively
⏣ Attempts to dramatise impressions & feelings → subjective reality
⏣ Play = metaphor
⏣ Symbols used to evoke feelings & states of mind
⏣ Drama = mysterious
⏣ Keynotes of production = simplicity
Expressionism:
‣ Captured feeling of dissatisfaction w/ authority & materialism associated w/ the war
(WWI) ▹▹ used sarcasm & satire to attack increasing industrialisation & materialism
‣ No such thing as ‘absolute truth’ → fundamental truth is to be found w/in humankind (its
spirit; desires; and visions)
‣ External reality should be reshaped until Brough to harmony w/ inner attributes
‣ Believed that beneath façade = hidden reality consisting of secrets & unconscious
desires, aspirations, con icts frustrations & hallucinations
‣ Subjective reality
‣ Expressionists regard materialism & industrialism = chief blocks to expressionist goals
& major destroyers of the soul
‣ Aim = more humanitarian outlook on life
‣ Focus on the journey of the soul of the main character▹▹ normal order of events &
unties of time, place & action = disrupted (create heightened effect) → psychological
introspection & re ection
Futurism:
⌘ Rejected the past & wished to transform humanity
⌘ Glori ed the energy & speed of the 'machine age’
⌘ Sought to compress time & space → show multiple unrelated scenes simultaneously in
1 dramatic setting
⌘ Amalgamation of the arts (favouring - circuses; music halls; nightclub acts⇢ any
performance styles that broke traditional proscenium arch setting
⌘ Opposed traditional staging
⌘ Employed variety of art forms
⌘ Jolt audience appreciation & awareness of multimedia techniques
⌘ Overall impression was somewhat chaotic
fi fl fl fl
