Symbolic warfare in the field of culture -- "A morbid love of the coarse, not to say brutal" : the novels of the Bronte sisters -- "The summit of vulgarity" : the paintings of the Impressionists -- "An eccentric, dreamy, half-educated recluse" : the poetry of Emily Dickinson -- "Delirious cocksuckers" : Le sacre du printemps and the Ballets Russes -- "Damnable, hellish filth from the gutter of a human mind" : James Joyce's Ulysses -- "No theme, no message, no thought" : Zora Neale Hurston's Their eyes were watching God -- A permanent revolution.
Summary:
"A cultural revolution in England, France, and the United States beginning during the time of the industrial and political revolutions helped usher in modernity. This cultural revolution worked alongside the better documented political and economic revolutions to usher in the modern era of continuous revolution. Focusing on the period between 1847 and 1937, the book examines in depth six of the cultural "battles" that were key parts of this revolution: the novels of the BronteÍı sisters, the paintings of the Impressionists, the poetry of Emily Dickinson, The Ballets Russes production of Le Sacre du printemps, James Joyce's Ulysses, and Zora Neal Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Using contemporaneous reviews in the press as well as other historical material, we can see that these now-canonical works provoked outrage at the time of their release because they addressed critical points of social upheaval and transformation in ways that engaged broad audiences with subversive messages. This framework allows us to understand and navigate the cultural debates that play such an important role in 21st century politics"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.