20th Century British Literature
A strong crop of British authors emerged during the 20th century. From "The Waste Land" to
"1984," 20th century British writers helped shape the modern and
postmodern movements in art and literature.
While they have been strong in number, the majority of great works came during the first half of the century. Unparalleled
economic and geopolitical catastrophes helped mold a generation raised
with great hardship and little hope. World Wars I and II and the severe
economic depression in between encouraged the exploration
of themes like destitution and loss and accounts of
adventures from the battlefronts and breadlines.
The Genre
It is difficult to define 20th century British literature. However, several sites offer
resources for the beginner:
Authors
Another way to begin your inquiry is by researching individual authors:
T.S. Eliot
An American who became a British citizen, Eliot is widely recognized as one
of the foremost British poets of the century.
Joseph Conrad
- Joseph Conrad
Another American expatriate, Conrad was originally Polish and English was
his third language. He wielded it more forcefully than most native
speakers.
D.H. Lawrence
- The Rananim Society
Browse detailed information on the author or join the e-mail discussion
group.
Virginia Woolf
The preeminent female British author of the 20th century.
George Orwell
Best known for his apocalyptic predictions in "1984."
Evelyn Waugh
This author of "A Handful of Dust" has a dedicated following on the web.
- Doubting Hall
Check out the Waugh quotes and novel synopses on this site.
--- Nicole E. Magistro
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