#literary movements

[thenewwei]

Thanks to everyone who came out to tonight’s Salon! One of our biggest turnouts so far and I even sported my New Wei t-shirt! #salon #salón #literature #literasi #lit #bookstagram #book #bookworm #booklover #booknerd #bookaddict #books #bookstagrammer #ilovebooks #booksbooksbooks #gathering #gatherings #art #artistsoninstagram #comics #comic #comicbooks #comicbook #music #musicians

[thewritersspotblog]

Literature and Revolution: The Black Arts Movement

Three Queens, 1971, Wadsworth Aikens Jarrel Generally considered to stretch from 1965 to 1975, the Black Arts Movement was both a cultural and political successor to both the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights movement. Considered by some to be the aesthetic component of the Black Power, the Black Arts Movement began during a time of great cultural shift in America. This new movement had a…

[brotherhoodnovel]

I’m very happy to announce the Kindle Ebook pre-order release of the first story in The Great American Pandemic Novel BAD AMERICANS: “On the Frontlines” AKA “Andrea’s Story.”

You can preorder this novelette now and you will get it delivered to your free Kindle app on any device on March 15, 2025! It’s only $0.99!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DWQPBK89

Each Story in BAD AMERICANS is being released once a month as a Kindle Ebook until September 2025, when the frame novel with the first six stories will be released in multiple formats including hardcover and paperback. Get your taste today!

Schedule here:

Http://tejas-desai.com

About BAD AMERICANS and “On the Frontlines”:

It's Summer 2020 and the Covid-19 Pandemic is raging. New York City has been locked down for months. 12 diverse Americans, lonely and single, are selected via a dating app competition by billionaire Olive Mixer to stay at his ornate Hamptons mansion complex for 12 nights.

During the day, the guests meet, compete, date, dine, flirt and fight. Each night, one must tell the group a story.

The narrator of "On the Frontlines," Andrea Mendoza, is a hard-working Filipino-American nurse at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, New York City, the hardest hit institution during the pandemic. Her story embodies the exhausting struggle to fight the virus and exposes the bureaucratic hurdles in the process.

"On the Frontlines" is one of the most moving stories in BAD AMERICANS. It's also a rare glimpse into the internal realities of the physical fight against the Covid pandemic at its height.

The tales in BAD AMERICANS range widely in subject, style, length and decorum. Many stories respond to each other. They trigger passionate resistance and fiery defense. They change how characters perceive each other and affect the trajectory of the frame narrative. They make us ponder the nature of storytelling itself.

More importantly, each story portrays a different aspect of American life in a vivid, accurate, innovative, entertaining and thought-provoking way.

BAD AMERICANS is the 2nd volume in the anthology series THE HUMAN TRAGEDY. Kirkus Reviews said the first volume, Good Americans "speaks volumes about the human condition and modern life in America."

I hope you enjoy this morsel of a complex recipe! #bookstagram #book #bookrelease #newrelease #newreleasebooks #literature #literaturelover #mustread #mustreadbooks #MustRead2025 #BadAmericans #thehumantragedy #humantragedy #storytelling #shortstory #shortstories #story #novelas #novel #pandemic #pandemic2020 #PandemicChallenges #pandemichistory #Decameron #realitytv #reality #realityshow #diversity #multicultural #crosscultural #culture #Satire

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DWQPBK89

[kimyoonmiauthor]

French Realism Movement

Balzac Zola

https://newrepublic.com/article/114374/french-realism-balzac-flaubert-zola-and-romanticisms-remains

[jadesdumbstuff]

Goddamnit Neil Gaiman. Just the fucking worse. I’ll never be able to read your books again.

People talk about separating art and the artist, but I can’t do it here. As one commenter said, “with the nature of his writing being so much about things like trauma and power dynamics, I fully agree. His work is garbage now in my world.”

[artemlegere]

I Am Half-Sick of Shadows, Said the Lady of Shalott

Artist: John William Waterhouse (English, 1849–1917)

Date: 1915

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Description

I Am Half-Sick of Shadows, Said the Lady of Shalott is a painting by John William Waterhouse completed in 1915. It is the third painting by Waterhouse that depicts a scene from the Tennyson poem, "The Lady of Shalott". The title of the painting is a quotation from the last two lines in the fourth and final verse of the second part of Tennyson's poem:

But in her web she still delights To weave the mirror’s magic sights, For often thro’ the silent nights A funeral, with plumes and lights And music, came from Camelot: Or when the moon was overhead Came two young lovers lately wed; 'I am half sick of shadows,' said The Lady of Shalott.

The painting shows the Lady of Shalott resting from her weaving.

The lady wears a red dress, in a room with Romanesque columns holding up the arches of the window reflected in the mirror. The frame of the loom and the geometric tiles of the floor lead the viewer into the room, where reds, yellows and blues echo the more vivid colours outside. A single poppy can be seen reflected in the mirror. The shuttles of the loom resemble boats, foreshadowing the Lady's death.

[preraphaelitepaintings]

Mariana

Artist: Sir John Everett Millais, Bt (English, 1829–1896)

Date: 1851

Medium: Oil paint on mahogany

Collection: TATE Britain, United Kingdom

Description

Mariana is a character from Shakespeare’s play Measure for Measure. Her fiancé Angelo leaves after her family’s money is lost in a shipwreck. Still in love with him, she hopes they will be reunited. Here Millais shows Mariana pausing to stretch her back after working at some embroidery. Autumn leaves scattered on the ground suggest the passage of time. The painting was originally exhibited with lines from Alfred Tennyson’s poem ‘Mariana’: “She only said, ‘My life is dreary – He cometh not!’ she said; She said, ‘I am aweary, aweary – I would that I were dead!’”

[amarguerite]

I rue the day I ever made a viral post about the romanticism scale. I don’t have the energy to keep explaining to people that Romanticism as I was taking about it is a very specific English literary movement during a very specific time period. The Brontes are not Romantics. They were born too late. Ditto Oscar Wilde and Stoker!!

[edwardian-girl-next-door]

December, from The Procession of Months (c.1889). All the poems were written by fifteen-year-old Beatrice Crane and illustrated by her acclaimed artist father, Walter Crane.

via contentinacottage.blogspot on pinterest

text id after cut off

[TEXT ID: "December" by Beatrice Crane.

Now wildly sweeps the wind

And wildly drives the sleet

DECEMBER fast draws nigh

Wrapped close from head to feet.

Her eyes glance restlessly

From shaken tree to plain,

The dark hair 'neath her hood

Is wet with frozen rain.

Her furry cloak she holds

With one hand round her form,

The other one lifts high

A torch to light the storm

Scance tree or shrub doth cheer

The dreary scene around,

Save for the moaning wind,

There is no other sound.

December's eyes grow sad

And fainter still her tread;

One hears a long, low sight

Which tells the year is dead. /end ID]

[goatsandgangsters]

Today's art/literary history lesson is on: Aubrey Beardsley

Beardsley's illustration forms the background for A Power Unbound, which is a cool moment of historical connection and intertextuality

Aubrey Beardsley was a turn-of-the-century artist who was part of the Aesthetic/Decadent movements that challenged Victorian social norms in art and literature. Queerness and eroticism were significant components of these movements, which often incorporated sensation, transgression, and sexuality.

Beardsley's art was considered provocative for its use of the grotesque, the sexual, and the androgynous. (Notably, he drove his editors bonkers by always hiding dicks and other phallic silhouettes in his art.)

Beardsley was the art editor for The Yellow Book, a literary journal printed in the 1890s. It was so named because of its intentionally garish yellow cover, which was meant to mimic the style of lewd French texts.

However, Beardsley is probably best remembered today for his illustrations that accompanied Oscar Wilde's controversial play Salomé. Although Wilde himself was not involved with The Yellow Book, his association with Beardsley through Salomé was so well known that The Yellow Book forced Beardsley out of his position as art editor following Wilde's trial; The Yellow Book did not last much longer after that. Aestheticism overall suffered in the wake of Wilde's trial specifically because of its association with Wilde and queer, transgressive artists.

But, given Beardsley's artistic ethos and the inextricable queerness of those movements as a whole, Beardsley's Decadent art is a fitting choice for the cover of A Power Unbound—which is itself a celebration of unapologetically queer and sexual art (and features its own lewd publications with notably colored covers 😉).

--

If you're interested in Beardsley or Decadence/Aestheticism and want to read more, here's a reference list (I'm happy to share PDFs—just let me know!): 

Kaye, Richard. 2019. “Aestheticism and Decadence, Nineteenth-Century.” In Global Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) History: A-F.

Glick, Elisa. 2014. “Turn-of-the-Century Decadence and Aestheticism.” In The Cambridge History of Gay and Lesbian Literature, 325–43. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CHO9781139547376.023.

Brake, Laurel. 2013. “Aestheticism and Decadence: The Yellow Book (1894–7), The Chameleon (1894), and The Savoy (1896).” In The Oxford Critical and Cultural History of Modernist Magazines: Volume I: Britain and Ireland 1880-1955. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199654291.003.0006

Denisoff, Dennis. 2007. “Decadence and Aestheticism.” In The Cambridge Companion to the Fin de Siècle, 31–53. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CCOL9780521850636.003

[lilacerull0]

the thing that makes you you is simultaneously the worst and the best thing about you and it's up to you to find the right balance

[mishkakagehishka]

But honestly i do judge people who use chatgpt for their college work. Literally if you chose to study something, why would you use ai for your work. If you chose something you want to study, doesn't it feel like a waste to not do your own research and work for essays and the like.

[frank-olivier]

The Beat Goes On: How a Generation’s Rejection of Conformity Shaped American Culture

The Beatnik movement, emerging in 1950s America, was a cultural phenomenon that left an indelible mark on the nation’s psyche. Born in the vibrant streets of Greenwich Village, this countercultural movement was characterized by its rejection of mainstream values, fervent embrace of artistic expression, and relentless pursuit of autonomy. At its core, the Beatniks sought to shatter the illusion of a perfect America, instead celebrating individuality, spontaneity, and creative freedom.

The Beatniks’ rejection of conformity was a deeply philosophical stance, asserting their autonomy and the right to forge their own paths. This desire for self-determination is a timeless and universal human aspiration, transcending era and culture. By embracing nonconformity, the Beatniks demonstrated its power as a catalyst for personal growth, creativity, and social change. Their influence can be seen in the subsequent countercultural movements, from the hippies to punk and grunge, which owe a debt to the Beatniks’ pioneering spirit.

However, the movement’s rapid commercialization and stereotyping by the media ultimately contributed to its decline. The Beatnik image became a fashionable commodity, reducing its underlying philosophical ideals to superficial affectations. This phenomenon highlights the tension between artistic expression and mainstream acceptance, serving as a cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of cultural authenticity.

Despite this, the Beatnik legacy endures, inspiring contemporary society with its advocacy for freedom of expression and challenges to societal norms. Their impact on American culture is evident in the broader acceptance of diverse lifestyles and artistic expression. The Beatniks’ pursuit of autonomy and creative expression remains a powerful beacon, illuminating the human desire for self-determination and connection with the world.

In today’s complex world, the Beatniks’ courage in rejecting the status quo and commitment to artistic expression continue to resonate. By embracing our own nonconformity and celebrating the diversity of human experience, we can push the boundaries of what it means to live authentically and creatively. The Beatniks’ story serves as a poignant reminder that our journeys are marked by the choices we make and the paths we forge, inviting us to embark on our own journeys of self-discovery and creative expression.

The Beatniks’ literary giants, such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs, played a significant role in shaping the movement’s philosophical and artistic foundations. Their works, including “On the Road,” “Howl,” and “Naked Lunch,” not only reflected the Beatnik ethos but also helped to cement their legacy as champions of creative freedom. As we reflect on the Beatnik movement, we are reminded of the transformative power of art and the importance of preserving the autonomy of the human spirit.

What Led to the Collapse of the Beatniks? (Freewheeling, January 2025)

Sunday, January 19, 2025

[camcorderrevival]

derailing class discussion on frankenstein adaptations so i can talk about german expressionism

[artemlegere]

The Proposal (The Marquis and Griselda)

Artist: Frederic George Stephens (British, 1827-1907)

Date: c. 1850

Medium: OIl on canvas

Collection: TATE Britain

Description

Like many Pre-Raphaelite works, The Proposal critiques the hierarchy of rich and poor, and explores love across social classes. In this scene from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, a nobleman has put Griselda through trials, but she has taught him kinder ways. She thinks about her future. The open window suggests she will leave her father’s cottage. The Proposal is the only surviving complete painting by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Frederic Stephens. Griselda was modelled by the artist Elizabeth Siddal.

[preraphaelitepaintings]

The Beautiful Lady Without Mercy

Artist: Arthur Hughes (English, 1832-1915)

Title: La Belle Dame Sans Merci

Date: 1863

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia

Description

This tragic tale was popularised by the English poet John Keats (1795–1821). His sensual and romantic poetry, often drawn from medieval narratives, helped to make such themes relevant to a modern audience. Here the knight falls in love with a beautiful woman who lures him to ‘her elfin grot’. There he sleeps and suffers a nightmare, seeing ‘pale kings and princes too, Pale warriors, death-pale were they all; They cried – “La Belle Dame sans Merci, Thee hath in thrall!”’. The knight wakes to find that he is one of many victims of her unrequited love, and is condemned to an eternally lonely existence. At the moment captured by Hughes, the knight is unaware of his impending doom.