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Expressionism

Expressionism was an early 20th century artistic movement that originated in Germany as a reaction against materialism and urbanization. It aimed to convey intense emotions through distorted forms and vivid colors rather than realistic depictions. Expressionism influenced theatre, film, poetry and other mediums through its emphasis on subjective experience over objective reality.

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85 views3 pages

Expressionism

Expressionism was an early 20th century artistic movement that originated in Germany as a reaction against materialism and urbanization. It aimed to convey intense emotions through distorted forms and vivid colors rather than realistic depictions. Expressionism influenced theatre, film, poetry and other mediums through its emphasis on subjective experience over objective reality.

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Expressionism

Introduction

Expressionism is an artistic and literary movement that originated in Europe,


particularly in Germany, in the early 20th century. It emerged as a reaction against societal
changes, such as materialism, urbanization, and the disintegration of traditional values.

Expressionism aimed to convey intense emotions, inner experiences, and subjective


perspectives through distorted and exaggerated forms, vivid colours, and unconventional
narrative techniques.

This movement prioritized the portrayal of an individual's emotional and


psychological state over realistic depictions of the external world, often resulting in works
that were introspective, symbolic, and evocative.

Origin

Expressionism as a literary movement is best known for its emphasis on subjective


experience and the display of emotions rather than objective reality. Expressionism came to
life in countries such as Germany where it served as a response to the horrors of World War
I.

It was a reaction to realism, which was dominant in the nineteenth century. Realism
was a style of literature that attempted to represent reality as objectively and
straightforwardly as possible. Expressionism, on the other hand, emphasized subjective
experience and emotion.

Expressionism first emerged as a movement in the early twentieth century. The


artists who first defined this style were from Eastern Europe and Germany, and many of
them were educated in Western art schools. They believed that the purpose of art was to
express one’s feelings about society and life through non-traditional means such as distorted
figures and colour, which gave expressionism its name.

Influence of Friedrich Nietzsche

The philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche profoundly influenced the Expressionist


movement.

In Thus Spake Zarathustra (1885), Nietzsche famously declared that 'God is dead!'
Namely, humans have killed God by no longer believing in him, yet we have removed any
real sense of meaning in our lives. Rather than seeking external sources of meaning, such
as God or money, Nietzsche proposed the concept of the Übermensch: "Beyond Human".

Expressionism Across Mediums: Theatre, Film, and Poetry


Expressionism was a movement spanning multiple mediums involving poetry, drama,
prose, art, music, and film. Below, we will look at the mediums of theatre, film, and poetry.

Expressionist theatre

Expressionist theatre is characterised by:

1. The episodic structure of stations


2. Jagged and dynamic set and stage design
3. Frequent monologues and soliloquies reveal the workings of the mind
4. Highly stylised and dramatic costume and makeup
5. Regular use of exclamation marks and short sentences.

Expressionist film

In the new and exciting medium of the early 20th century, directors soon took the
Expressionist techniques from drama to film. The burgeoning film culture in Germany at the
time, which rivalled Hollywood, led to an incredible array of Expressionist films.

Example -

Fritz Lang's early films are significantly Expressionistic, such as Metropolis (1927)
and M (1931).

Expressionist poetry

Characteristics of Expressionist poetry include:

1. Ecstatic lyricism
2. Lack of clear meter or form
3. Telegram style
4. Condensed poetry with strings of nouns and verbs
5. Removal of all superfluous descriptions as they wanted to present feeling in its purest
form.

Importance of expressionism

Expressionism marked a radical shift in expression. As one of the leading modernist


movements, Expressionism paved the way for other literary movements such as The
Theatre of the Absurd.
Example -

Whereas Expressionism focuses on the despair and disillusionment of the


meaningless, The Theatre of the Absurd comments that if nothing has meaning anyway, we
might as well have fun in life.

Decline of the movement

Expressionism's decline was spurred by its vague yearning for change, poetic
language, and intensely personal and inaccessible presentation. Germany's increasing
stability post-1924 and the rise of politically explicit social realism expedited its downfall.

The Nazis' ascent to power in 1933 dealt the final blow, branding Expressionism as
degenerate, and banning exhibitions, publications, and even artistic work. This led numerous
Expressionists to seek refuge abroad, notably in the United States.

Examples

1. Eugene O’Neill - 1. The Emperor Jones,


2. The Hairy Ape,
3. The Great God Brown,
4. All God’s Chillun Got Wings

2. August Strindberg - A Dream Play

3. Irwin Shaw - Bury the Dead

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