In 1888 Friedrich Nietzsche in his novella Twilight of the Idols, writes about the death of the old and the birth of the New, a re-evaluation of all of one’s old values, therefore very consciously setting the mood for the next fifty years in literary movement. This course will delve into the significance the death of traditional literary practices and birth of new ones, had on the thinkers, writers and poets of the late 19th and mid 20th century. Ezra Pound’s slogan “Make it new” echoes through the different styles, forms and tones of Modernist writers and this course will help students trace the newness that Modernism gave birth to.The course will look at texts from Europe and America, historical movements and the aesthetic changes in writing and thought. Students are expected to do a considerable amount of reading of both primary and secondary resources.