1. WORLD
WAR
ONE
EFFECTS ON ART AND LITERATURE OF

2. AG E N DA
Charles Demuth, Incense of a New Church, 1921
To explore the impact that
World War One had on the
culture, art, and literature of the
early twentieth century.
Two prominent approaches to
art and literature emerged from
this tumultuous period, labeled
as Surrealism and
Modernism.
Practitioners of these genres
attempted to explain humanity,
or “lack thereof”, during this
period of technological
advancement in warfare along
with massive amounts of
casualties (Hassanpour et al.,
2016).

3. WO R L D W A R 1
In 1914, after the assassination of Archduke
Franz Ferdinand of Austria, war spread across
Europe lasting until 1918. Battles were waged
when Austria-Hungary, Germany, the Ottoman
Empire and Bulgaria (Central Powers) clashed
against France, England, Italy, Russia,
Romania, Japan, Canada, and the United
States (Allied Powers). Due to technological
advances in weaponry in combination with
trench warfare, World War I resulted in
extraordinary intensities of bloodshed and
devastation. At the end of the war which
resulted in an Allied Powers victory,16 million
lives were lost (A&E Television, n.d.).
3
Public Domain, (1) https://allthatsinteresting.com/ww1-photos#1

4. A R T P R I O R TO W W 1
Classicism
Art inspired by Roman and
Greek Art
Romanticism
Emphasis on nature,
beauty, sentiment over
logic
Impressionism
Painting real life subjects
outdoors. Landscapes.
4
Gavin Hamilton, Agrippina Landing at
Brindisium with the Ashes of
Germanicus, 1765-72
Johann Heinrich Wilhelm
Tischbein:
Goethe in the Roman
Campagna, 1787
Claude Monet, Women Seated on a
Bench, 1874

5. L I T E R AT U R E P R I O R TO W W 1
Victorian
Realism or stories about
daily life during the reign of
Queen Victoria (1837 –
1901) Stories about the
poor and movement
amongst classes (LaPorte,
2013).
Realism or
Naturalism
Stories that focus on the
environment and the lives
of the people that inhabit
said environment.
Naturalism has traces of
inspiration from the Theory
of Evolution (Lehan, 2005).
Symbolism
Stories meant to express
emotions and ideas through
symbols and metaphors,
involving themes of
spirituality, the
subconscious, and the
supernatural. (Oregon
State, 2023).
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6. LO S S A N D
D E S T RU C T I O N
World War I devastated the prevalent optimism
and hope of the pre-war period. The measure
of devastation, loss of soldier and civilian lives,
along with the experience of trench warfare
with advanced weaponry for the period, left a
deep sense of discouragement. This profound
disenchantment found expression in literature
and art, with creators conveying the
pointlessness and irrationality of war, the
collapse of traditional values, and the forfeiture
of innocence (Bobowik., 2014).
6
British Library, World War,
https://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/external/worldwar1somme-tl.jpg

7. LO S S A N D
D E S T RU C T I O N ( 2 )
Technology in weaponry and progress in
transmission of information contributed to a
deeper impact on society. Machine guns,
barbed wire, mines, tanks, chemical warfare,
guns mounted on boats, submarines, and even
planes made a prominent presence in WW1.
Which led to massive casualties when
combined with warfare stemming from the 19th
century (Library of Congress, n.d.).
7
In addition, increased accessibility to
newspapers, advancements in photography,
and even film footage, brought the harsh
realities of war to the world (National Archives
and Records Administration, n.d.).

8. R E F L E C T I O N S I N A R T A N D
L I T E R AT U R E
For many the beginning of war appeared patriotic and a sense of duty to
one’s nation, however once conflict progressed many encountered
displacement and a feeling of senselessness for the carnage experienced.
This effect can manifest as questioning one’s own beliefs and the
propaganda presented by a society. In relation, art and literature was
subject to such introspection. There were a variety of artistic trends that
were gaining momentum before and after the war, however two prevalent
genres to be explored post-WW1 are surrealism and modernism.
8

9. What is Surrealism?
The revulsions of war
influenced the development of
artistic movements such as
Surrealism. Surrealism, which
followed in the 1920s,
observed the subconscious
mind, engaging illusory or
dreamlike imagery and
symbolism. Discouragement
and bedlam of the war inspired
the juxtaposition of the art of
surrealism (Bigsby, 2017).
Swans Reflecting Elephants, Salvador Dali, 1937

10. What is Surrealism? (2)
WW1 brought extensive
suffering, damage, and
disenchantment. Surrealist
artists attempted to explore and
express the psychological
effects of the war. Painting
disjointed, dreamlike scenery
and disturbing images to
convey the bewilderment,
anxiety, and trauma that
occurred during and after the
war. (Bigsby, 2017).
Swans Reflecting Elephants, Salvador Dali, 1937

11. What is Surrealism? (3)
The war's destruction and cataclysm
influenced artists to reject traditional
artistic agreements and to explore new
methods that emphasized freedom and
spontaneity. Surrealists applied
automatism, a technique where they
would create art without conscious control
or censorship via subconscious thoughts
(Martin, 2006). In addition, Surrealist put
together distinct items, created hybrid
creatures, and transformed the scale and
proportions of objects and images,
attempting to unsettle rationality and to
make a point of irrationality of the world.
Lobster Telephone, Salvador Dali, 1936

12. What is Modernism?
Modernism differed from the
romanticism and optimism of literature
and poetry prior to WW1. Authors of
Modernism replied to the
disenchantment, suffering, and
damage brought about by the war,
exploring profound existential
questions. The war acted as a
facilitator for literary adaptation with a
reassessment of traditional literary
themes (Simion, 2014).
For example, the poem In Flanders
Field by John McCrae, the poem
makes note of the contrast with the
death in the Belgium battle with the
beauty of the red poppies that grow
amongst the bodies.
In Flanders Field, John McCrae, 1915

13. What is Modernism? (2)
In Modernism, some authors
experimented with stream of
consciousness narrative style,
which is an attempt to capture
the realistic thought process of
a character. This can be viewed
as a characters “thought-
process” which can appear
random and disjointed
depending on the characters
“state-of-mind” in the narrative
(OregonState, 2023).
In Flanders Field, John McCrae, 1915

14. What is Modernism? (3)
Authors explored bleaker
themes, such as in Aldous
Huxley’s 1932 novel “Brave
New World” which explores a
dystopian society that values
order and a predetermined
class system over individualism
and freedom (Encyclopedia
Britanica, n.d.).
In the 1928 novel “All Quiet on
the Western Front” by Erich
Maria Remarque, the narrative
focuses on the experience of
German soldiers during WW1
and the physical and mental
traumas sustained due to
battle, along with the
disassociation for soldiers that
survived and made it home
(Abdusalom, 2023).

15. What is Modernism? (4)
In the 1925 novel Mrs. Dalloway by
Virginia Wolf, the stream-of-
consciousness narrative follows the
thought process of socialite Clarissa
Dalloway and then switches back
and forth from the thought process of
Septimus Warren Smith, a “shell
shocked” or WW1 veteran suffering
from PTSD. Septimus seeks
psychiatric help but is told he will be
admitted to a psychiatric hospital and
as a result commits suicide
(Fayzullaeva, 2019). A selection of Mrs. Dalloway editions: from left to right, Harvest (1980s), Original Hogarth (1925) and
modern Penguin (2015)

16. S I M I L A R T H E M E S
16
It can be viewed that refutation against
standards and constructs, exploration of
different thought process towards creativity,
disentrancement against the establishment, and
eclectic juxtaposition, were common themes in
both surrealism and modernism. In both art and
literature, surrealist and modernist attempted to
make sense of a new world with a reactions that
demonstrated conflicting themes and meanings,
abstract symbolism, or no meaning at all

17. S U R R E A L I S M A N D M O D E R N I S M
TO DAY
The effects of surrealism and modernism that was
inspired by WW1 can be observed in various forms of
contemporary art, literature, music, advertising, comedy,
and film. The styles provided approaches, techniques,
and experiments that modern artist have applied since the
genre’s inceptions. Searching the subconscious for
inspiration and meaning, rethinking of reality,
experimentation with methods and means, political and
social criticism, highlighting individual experiences, and
juxtaposition of differing materials are traits of surrealism
and modernism that have carried over into the zeitgeist of
generations since WW1 (Roberts, 2016).
17

18. THE SURREALIST AND MODERNISM
MOVEMENTS ARE EXAMPLES THAT
WHEN DISASTER OCCURS VIA NATURE
OR MAN, AS A RESULT, ART REFLECTS
AND TRIES TO MAKE MEANING AS TO
FIND PURPOSE IN TRAGIC EVENTS
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19. E F F E C T S O N A RT A N D L I T E R AT U R E W O R L D WA R O N E
O F
THANK
YOU

20. P H OTO S U S E D
A selection of Mrs. Dalloway editions: from left to right, Harvest (1980s), Original Hogarth (1925) and modern Penguin (2015)
https://daily.jstor.org/celebrating-mrs-dalloway/
British Library, World War I, https://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/external/worldwar1somme-tl.jpg
Dali, Salvador, Lobster Telephone, 1936, https://www.e-flux.com/legacy/2011/08/wpid-1296661908image_web1.jpg?b8c429,1600
Dali, Salvador, Swans Reflecting Elephants, 1937, https://www.dalipaintings.com/swans-reflecting-elephants.jsp
Demuth, Charles, Incense of a New Church, 1921,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Demuth_Charles_Incense_of_a_New_Church,_1921.jpg
Hamilton, Gavin, Agrippina Landing at Brindisium with the Ashes of Germanicus, 1765-72, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hamilton-
agrippina-landing-at-brindisium-with-the-ashes-of-germanicus-t03365
McCrae, John, In Flanders Field, 1915. https://americanliterature.com/author/john-mccrae/poem/in-flanders-fields
Monet, Claude, Women Seated on a Bench, 1874, https://media.tate.org.uk/aztate-prd-ew-dg-wgtail-st1-ctr-data/images/.width-
1200_0z8uDmh.jpg
Public Domain, (1) https://allthatsinteresting.com/ww1-photos#1
Tischbein, Johann Heinrich Wilhelm: Goethe in the Roman Campagna, https://www.britannica.com/art/Romanticism
20

21. R E F E R E N C E S
Abdusalom o‘g‘li, O. S. (2023). Expression and Means in the Novel" All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remark. Best Journal of Innovation
in Science, Research and Development, 2(4), 180-183. http://www.bjisrd.com/index.php/bjisrd/article/view/141
A & E Television Networks. (n.d.). World War I: Summary, causes & facts. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-
history
Bigsby, C. W. E. (2017). Dada & surrealism (Vol. 22). Taylor & Francis.
Bobowik, M., Páez, D., Liu, J. H., Licata, L., Klein, O., & Basabe, N. (2014). Victorious justifications and criticism of defeated: Involvement of nations in
world wars, social development, cultural values, social representations of war, and willingness to fight. International journal of intercultural relations, 43,
60-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2014.08.013
Encyclopedia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Brave new world. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Brave-New-World
Fayzullaeva, U. (2019). The inner world of a woman" mrs. dalloway", by virginia woolf. Mental Enlightenment Scientific-Methodological Journal,
2019(1), 20.
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22. R E F E R E N C E S
Hassanpour Darbandi, A., & Ramin, Z. (2020). Revisiting Modernism: A Review of Modernism by Peter Childs. Critical Literary Studies, 2(1), 229-234.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110376739
McCrae, J. (2015). In Flanders Fields and Other Poems. Dundurn.
LaPorte, C. (2013). Victorian literature, religion, and secularization. Literature Compass, 10(3), 277-287. https://doi.org/10.1111/lic3.12049
Lehan, R. D. (2005). Realism and Naturalism: the Novel in an age of Transition. Univ of Wisconsin Press.
Martin, A. (2006). Automatism and art practice (Doctoral dissertation, University of Plymouth). https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.437419
Military technology in World War I, articles & essays , newspaper pictorials, World War I rotogravures, 1914-1919, digital collections, library of Congress. The
Library of Congress. (n.d.). https://www.loc.gov/collections/world-war-i-rotogravures/articles-and-essays/military-technology-in-world-war-i/
What is symbolism?: Definition & examples. College of Liberal Arts. (2023, January 27). https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-symbolism
National Archives and Records Administration. (n.d.). The reel story of the Great War. National Archives and Records Administration.
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2017/winter/reel-story-great-
war#:~:text=Overall%2C%20there%20are%20approximately%201%2C500,vaults%20of%20the%20National%
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23. R E F E R E N C E S
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What is stream of consciousness?: Definition & examples. College of Liberal Arts. (2023, January 26).
https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-stream-consciousness
What is symbolism?: Definition & examples. College of Liberal Arts. (2023, January 27). https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-symbolism
Roberts, D. (2016). Surrealism and natural history: Nature and the marvelous in Breton and Caillois. A Companion to dada and surrealism, 287-303.
https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118476215.ch17
Simion, M. O. (2014). Modernism and Virginia Woolf's Novel Mrs. Dalloway. Annals Constantin Brancusi U. Targu Jiu, Letters & Soc. Sci. Series, 120.
https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/ancnbt2014&div=21&id=&page=