Contexts
1 The Second World War
- The Second World War lasted from September 1939 to September 1945, and claimed the lives of well over 50 million people.
- The war had a profound effect on society: arguably weakening the class system, traditional views of women and Britain’s international influence.
- Britain sent the British Expeditionary Force to France in 1939 to try and counter the invasion of the country by the better equipped German army.
- The evacuation of Dunkirk took place early in 1940, and was widely considered a disaster for Britain – though it was portrayed as a great success.
2 The class system
- From medieval times through to the end of the twentieth century, society in Britain was dominated by ideas of a person’s rank or ‘class’.
- By definition, the class system severely limits social mobility – it is the opposite of the American Dream, which holds that anyone can better their position in society.
- It requires people to fit into clearly defined social categories. Those who do not – such as Robbie Turner – are not easily accommodated in such a system.
- The class system can still be felt in our society, but was greatly weakened by the events and social developments of the last century.
3 Modernism (in fiction)
- Literary Modernism emerged at the turn of the twentieth century, and defined itself in opposition to the conventions, style and morality of the Victorian era.
- The Modern novel reacted against linear plot, favouring narrative dislocation, and emphasised experimentation in form, style and language.
- A common feature of Modernism is the ‘stream of consciousness’, which describes a narrative told primarily through the thoughts of one or more characters.
- The Modern novel is strongly associated with the Bloomsbury Group, which included authors Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster, and the critic Cyril Connolly.
4 Role of women
- Before the twentieth century, the role of women in society was generally confined to the domestic sphere, and was usually subject to male authority.
- During the nineteenth century, there was increased discussion of women’s capabilities and rights, most obviously demonstrated in the suffrage movement (Votes for Women).
- Despite significant opposition, women achieved increased legal rights, access to education, and in 1928 were granted the right to vote on the same terms as men.
- The First World War began a change in attitudes towards women’s roles and capabilities as women filled traditionally male roles; the Second World War reinforced and extended this reassessment.
5 Development of psychology
- Twentieth-century psychology was dominated by the figure of Sigmund Freud, the Austrian ‘Father of Psychoanalysis’, the forerunner of modern psychology.
- Psychoanalytical theory was not limited only to medicine, but was applied to all areas of human society, including art and literature.
- Psychoanalysis focused on the unconscious or subconscious, and how they were affected by childhood development, sexual drive and natural impulse.
- Psychoanalysis was strongly influenced by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, and Freud’s fame and social significance was comparable to that which Darwin achieved in the previous century.
Copyright © York Press, 2017