ISMS

Question 1

What characterized the early 20th-century context?

Answer 1

A period marked by rapid scientific and technological advancements that shifted people’s thinking and lifestyles, leading to social and cultural upheaval.

Question 2

What did people begin to question during this period? A:

Answer 2

People started challenging long-held beliefs, traditions, and social norms, moving towards more individualized interpretations of life and art.

Question 3

How did Darwin’s theories influence thought?

Answer 3

Darwin’s ideas on evolution and common ancestry challenged religious beliefs, particularly Creationism, and introduced the idea that humans are shaped by heredity and environment.

Question 4

Summarize Nietzsche’s philosophical contributions.

Answer 4

Nietzsche declared “God is dead,” implying that traditional morality and faith in the church were outdated, encouraging individuals to find personal meaning in life and paving the way for existentialism.

Question 5

What did Freud contribute to the understanding of human behavior

Answer 5

Freud introduced psychoanalysis, emphasizing the subconscious and exploring how dreams, instincts, and defense mechanisms shape behavior.

Question 6

What major social changes came from the Industrial Revolution?

Answer 6

The Industrial Revolution brought changes in agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation, significantly impacting political and economic systems, especially through the rise of capitalism.

Question 7

Describe capitalism and its impact

Answer 7

Capitalism, characterized by private ownership, led to immense class divides and a focus on profit, which critics like Karl Marx argued was exploitative.

Question 8

What did Marx propose as an alternative to capitalism?

Answer 8

Marx advocated for a classless system, promoting Marxism and communism as solutions to the exploitation he saw in capitalist systems.

Question 9

How did WW1 influence the early 20th century?

Answer 9

Known as “The Great War,” WW1 was the first large-scale conflict to use modern technology in warfare, leading to massive casualties and a belief that such a devastating war could never happen again.

Question 10

What marked the 1920s in the United States?

Answer 10

The “Roaring Twenties” was a time of economic prosperity, urbanization, and cultural change, but ended with the 1929 Stock Market Crash, leading to the Great Depression.

Question 11

What were the significant events of the 1930s?

Answer 11

A: The Great Depression, high unemployment, and the rise of dictatorships in Italy and Germany, while the radio became a dominant form of media.

Question 12

: Describe the impact of WW2 on global society in the 1940s

Answer 12

WW2 caused unprecedented destruction, with millions of civilian deaths, significant advances in nuclear technology, and shifts in gender roles as women took on more work outside the home.

Question 13

What was the Cold War, and when did it begin?

Answer 13

Starting around 1946, the Cold War was an ideological conflict between Communist Russia and Capitalist USA, involving proxy wars, propaganda, and a nuclear arms race.

Question 14

What is Symbolism, and what did it emphasize

Answer 14

ymbolism, originating in France in the 1880s, used symbols to suggest deeper truths beyond surface reality, avoiding direct social issues and focusing on universal ideas.

Question 15

Describethe Expressionism and its main focussus
s

Answer 15

Emerging in 1910 Germany, Expressionism protested materialism and industrialism, showing distorted visuals and exaggerated emotions to reflect inner turmoil and social critique.

Question 16

What did Futurism promote in the arts

Answer 16

Futurism celebrated the machine age, rejected the past, and combined multiple art forms, often confronting audiences to redefine their understanding of art.

Question 17

: Define Dadaism and its central philosophy.

Answer 17

Dadaism, arising in Switzerland in the 1920s, embraced nihilism and rejected traditional values, using calculated chaos and nonsensical elements to critique society.

Question 18

What was Surrealism’s primary aim?

Answer 18

Surrealism sought to explore the subconscious mind and dreams, using bizarre juxtapositions to reveal deeper “inner truths” often hidden by conscious thought.

Question 19

What were key characteristics of Symbolist theater?

Answer 19

: Emphasized simplicity, mood, atmosphere created by lighting, artificial staging, and use of symbols over realistic representation.

Question 20

Who were influential Symbolist practitioners?

Answer 20

Maurice Maeterlinck, who used marionettes to symbolize fate, and later works by Henrik Ibsen and Anton Chekhov.

Question 21

How did Expressionist plays represent social critique? A

Answer 21

Used distorted visuals, exaggerated acting, and symbolic staging to convey protest against capitalist society, materialism, and dehumanization.

Question 22

What was the “Schrei” in Expressionism?

Answer 22

An exaggerated facial expression representing a silent scream, symbolizing dissatisfaction with societal complacency.

Question 23

What was Futurism’s approach to traditional staging?

Answer 23

: Futurists rejected the proscenium arch and employed multimedia, blending performance arts like circuses and music to disrupt expectations.

Question 24

How did Futurist performances engage audiences?

Answer 24

They often involved direct confrontations, chaos, and performances in the auditorium to provoke audience participation and break traditional conventions.

Question 25

What was Dadaism’s motto, and what did it mean?

Answer 25

Nothing,” reflecting the movement’s embrace of meaninglessness, rejection of logic, and use of randomness to critique societal norms.

Question 26

Who was Hugo Ball, what did he contribute to Dadaism and what does his conrtibution demonstrate about dadaist commitment

Answer 26

Hugo Ball created “nonsense sound poems,” demonstrating the Dadaist commitment to abandoning traditional language and structure.

Question 27

Describe Surrealism’s “Theatre of Cruelty.”

Answer 27

Developed by Antonin Artaud, it sought to bypass rational thought by shocking the senses, aiming to reveal inner psychological truths.

Question 28

What was the role of subconscious exploration in Surrealism?

Answer 28

Surrealists believed exposing the subconscious would reveal hidden truths and created dream-like, illogical scenarios to challenge reality’s constraints.