| Basic Concepts: Expressionism
Expressionism is an late-nineteenth century and early twentieth-century European and American aesthetic movement that emphasizes the primary importance of the emotions in determining the character and nuances of our experience of reality. Expressionism was an answer to the impersonality of the impressionists whose works sought to demonstrate the role of the senses in dictating our "reality." . Online Connections Expressionism has both artistic and literary representation. For an introduction to important impressionist painters, see "Expressionism." See also, the "WebMuseum/Paris--Expressionism." "Britannica.com" provides a review of twentieth-century authors who wrote in the expressionist mode. . Our Course Connections Read Edgar Allen Poe's "Bells" and "Ulalume" as examples of poetry with expressionist style. His short stories, "Ligeia," "Fall of the House of Usher," and "Tell-Tale Heart" exhibit worlds and experiences characterized by rising emotional stress. .  |