British Literature Between the World Wars

The Inter-War Period and the Evolution of Literature

Literature in the 1920s was still dominated by Modernism, exemplified by James Joyce’s Ulysses and T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land. This era was characterized by creative difficulty and controversy. However, fiction in the 1930s and 1940s saw a movement away from aesthetic emotions and personal relations, shifting toward a direct reflection of the political events and public causes of the period.

Factors Influencing the Literary Change

• The economic situation, including the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the subsequent Economic Depression.
• The devaluation of the pound and the formation of the Coalition government.
• Widespread unemployment and the rise of hunger marches.
• A pervasive sense of being trapped between two world wars.

Modernist Fiction vs. 1930s New Realism

Modernist fiction was often criticized as irresponsible and self-indulgent, viewed by some as a "Cosmopolitan intrusion" into the English fictional tradition. Its proponents urged writers to "look within," resulting in a high complexity of style. In contrast, fiction of the 1930s and 1940s was politically committed, embracing a "New Realism" and a return to simplicity in style within the fictional tradition.

Ford Madox Ford: The Art of Rendering

Born Ford Hermann Hueffer, he changed his name in 1919. His work was highly creative, and he performed significant critical and editorial work for the English Review and the Transatlantic Review. He is noted for his discovery of D.H. Lawrence and his collaboration with Joseph Conrad.

Techniques and Editorial Contributions

Ford saw the role of the novelist as being to render, not to narrate. This involved the "Notion of Aloof," where life should be represented in a sequence of selected impressions rather than a strictly chronological narration. His work utilized carefully juxtaposed actions or situations.

The Two Phases of Ford’s Career

His writing career is divided into two parts: before and after World War I.

The Good Soldier: A Pre-War Achievement

The Good Soldier is the great achievement of the first part of his career. It explores Roman Catholic beliefs and a strict code of conduct where the façade of civilized life is preserved. The plot follows Dowell, a representation of a gentleman, and his wife Florence, alongside Ashburnham (a "stupid Tory gentleman" who cannot resist pretty women) and his Catholic wife, Leonora. Dowell is ultimately betrayed by his friends, including Tietjens. The technique used in the novel is often described as a "kaleidoscope."

Parade’s End: The Post-War Phase

The second part of his writing career is marked by the series Parade’s End.

Evelyn Waugh: Satire and Upper-Class Society

Evelyn Waugh was a prominent satirist of upper-class society, drawing heavily from his travel and war experiences. His primary purpose in writing was to entertain, rather than to inform or instruct.

Waugh’s Narrative Style and Purpose

• He showed no interest in psychological complexity.
• He was a defender of elaborate language.
• He maintained a strong interest in drama, speech, and events.
• His novels featured a rapid pace with busy plots and characters who move quickly.
• His use of satire involved exaggeration and the eccentric or grotesque.

The narrator in Waugh's work maintains a distance from his characters, showing an absence of compassion. The narration is omniscient but remains neutral.

A Handful of Dust: Cynicism and Hedonism

In A Handful of Dust, Waugh explores the cynicism and hedonism of London society. The story features Brenda and her selfish circle, contrasted with the character of Tony, who is portrayed as insensitive.