20 BIG Names in Early 20 th Century Western Culture

Friedrich Nietzsche ( ) German Philosopher German Philosopher Quote: “God is dead” Quote: “God is dead” Believed that only the creativity of a few supermen could successfully reorder the world. Believed that only the creativity of a few supermen could successfully reorder the world.

Jean-Paul Sartre ( ) French Philosopher French Philosopher Existentialism Existentialism “Humans simply exist” “Humans simply exist” Saw life as absurd Saw life as absurd Believed that the individual has to find his/her own meaning Believed that the individual has to find his/her own meaning Most were atheists Most were atheists

Sigmund Freud ( ) Austrian Psychologist Austrian Psychologist Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis One of the “3 Most important thinkers of the 19 th Century” One of the “3 Most important thinkers of the 19 th Century” Along with Marx and Darwin Along with Marx and Darwin Studied human psyche Studied human psyche Id, ego, superego Id, ego, superego Popularized Dream interpretation Popularized Dream interpretation

Max Planck ( ) German Physicist German Physicist BIG Theories BIG Theories Matter & Energy may just be different forms of the same thing Matter & Energy may just be different forms of the same thing Shook the scientific world with his views on atoms Shook the scientific world with his views on atoms Stable, building blocks of matter Stable, building blocks of matter Founder of QUANTUM PHYSICS Founder of QUANTUM PHYSICS

Albert Einstein ( ) German Physicist German Physicist Theory of Relativity of Time and Space Theory of Relativity of Time and Space E=MC 2 E=MC 2 Another Theory: That even a particle of matter contains enormous “POTENTIAL ENERGY” Another Theory: That even a particle of matter contains enormous “POTENTIAL ENERGY”

Ernest Rutherford ( ) British Physicist British Physicist Demonstrated that the atom could be split (1919) Demonstrated that the atom could be split (1919) “Nuclear fission” “Nuclear fission”

Werner Heisenberg ( ) German Physicist German Physicist “The Uncertainty Principle” “The Uncertainty Principle” “It is impossible to know the position & speed of an atom at the same time, thus, it is impossible to predict its behavior” “It is impossible to know the position & speed of an atom at the same time, thus, it is impossible to predict its behavior”

Virginia Woolf ( ) British Novelist British Novelist First developed writing style called “Stream-of- Consciousness” First developed writing style called “Stream-of- Consciousness”

T.S. Eliot ( ) American Author American Author Wrote Wrote The Wasteland (1922) Depicted a world of growing desolation Depicted a world of growing desolation (Post-WWI Europe) (Post-WWI Europe)

James Joyce ( ) Irish Author Irish Author Wrote Ulysses (1922) Wrote Ulysses (1922) Well-known for experimenting with language, style, and attempting to reflect the dynamics of society in his writing. Well-known for experimenting with language, style, and attempting to reflect the dynamics of society in his writing. “Writing in English is the most ingenious torture ever devised for sins committed in previous lives.” J. Joyce “Writing in English is the most ingenious torture ever devised for sins committed in previous lives.” J. Joyce

Franz Kafka ( ) German speaking, Czech Author Wrote: Metamorphosis (1912) The Trial (1914) Portrayed helpless individuals crushed by hostile forces Lots of symbolism

George Orwell ( ) British Author (born in India) British Author (born in India) Most Famous Works: Most Famous Works: Animal Farm (1945) Animal Farm (1945) Symbolic parody of the 1917 Russian Revolution Symbolic parody of the 1917 Russian Revolution Instantly banned in USSR Instantly banned in USSR 1984 (1949) 1984 (1949) “BIG BROTHER” (the dictator) uses technology & terror to institute TOTALITARIANISM “BIG BROTHER” (the dictator) uses technology & terror to institute TOTALITARIANISM

Animal Farm George Orwell -

Louis Henry Sullivan ( ) American Architect American Architect Pioneered Skyscrapers Pioneered Skyscrapers MAIN IDEA: MAIN IDEA:FUNCTIONALISM “Form follows function” “Form follows function”

Functionalism

Claude Monet ( ) French Artist French Artist Impressionism Impressionism Sought to capture the overall feeling (or impression) of a moment. Sought to capture the overall feeling (or impression) of a moment. Most famous work: Most famous work: “Water Lilies” “Water Lilies”

Water Lilies – Claude Monet

Vincent van Gogh ( ) Dutch Artist Dutch Artist Expressionism or Expressionism or Post-Impressionism Post-Impressionism Starry Night Starry Night

Starry Night – Vincent Van Gogh

Pablo Picasso ( ) Spanish Artist Spanish Artist Often regarded as the “Most important artist of the 20 th Century” Often regarded as the “Most important artist of the 20 th Century” MANY PHASES MANY PHASES Well known for: Well known for: Abstract Abstract Cubism Cubism Sculpture … Sculpture …

Picasso Guitar and Violin Old Guitar Player Guernica

Wassily Kandinsky

Salvador Dali ( ) Spanish Artist Spanish Artist Surrealism Surrealism Influenced by Freud’s emphasis on dream interpretation Influenced by Freud’s emphasis on dream interpretation Painted a fantastic world of wild dreams and complex symbols Painted a fantastic world of wild dreams and complex symbols Self-Proclaimed Genius Self-Proclaimed Genius Very complex and strange personality Very complex and strange personality

Persistence of Memory Salvador Dali

Igor Stravinsky ( ) Russian Composer Russian Composer Most famous composer of the 20 th Century Most famous composer of the 20 th Century Works: Works: The Firebird The Firebird The Rite of Spring The Rite of Spring "I haven't understood a bar of music in my life, but I've felt it."

Charlie Chaplin ( ) British Film Star British Film Star Cultural Icon of the Early 20 th Century Cultural Icon of the Early 20 th Century Made a name for himself as the star of many silent films, and eventually “talkies” as well Made a name for himself as the star of many silent films, and eventually “talkies” as well “King of the Silver Screen” “King of the Silver Screen”

Guglielmo Marconi ( ) Italian Inventor Italian Inventor Developed the Vacuum Tube Developed the Vacuum Tube This allowed the transmission of speech and music This allowed the transmission of speech and music Improved Telegraph, and invented the WIRELESS TELEGRAPH, which evolved into today’s RADIO Improved Telegraph, and invented the WIRELESS TELEGRAPH, which evolved into today’s RADIO Nobel Prize in 1909 (Physics) Nobel Prize in 1909 (Physics)

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Example of a trend during the 1920s. Example of a trend during the 1920s. Most countries’ established direct control of radio by the government Most countries’ established direct control of radio by the government Only in the US was there private ownership. Only in the US was there private ownership. Radio became used effectively for political propaganda. Radio became used effectively for political propaganda.