Tradition Unbound: Exploration of Modernist Rupture in Djuna Barnes’ Nightwood and Gertrude Stein’s Ida: A Novel

Modernism inherently represents a departure from tradition, thus, it is frequently considered a culture of rupture. This thesis aims to interrogate the concept of rupture as an intrinsic part of Modernism, as, even though Modernism breaks away from the past, it simultaneously relies on this very break, however, this rupture is not only from the past, but within Modernism itself, as the texts presented in this thesis even transgress Modernist conventions. The first chapter will have a look at the paradoxical nature of Modernist rupture, focusing on its attempt of ‘erasing’ or ‘recovering’ the tradition and the rupture of the Self as an inevitable consequence of modernity. The second chapter will try to situate Djuna Barnes’ Nightwood within the Modernist context, while also highlighting its rebellious nature, suggesting its digression from the Modernist ideals and anticipation of the crisis of language, the Self and eventually of Modernism itself. The third chapter will examine Gertrude Stein’s Ida: A Novel, underlining her treatment of tradition and identity in the ‘Age of Mechanical Reproduction’. The adaptability towards the mass culture makes Stein stand out from her Modernist counterparts, thus, similarly to Barnes, though through manifold approaches, Stein also subverts Modernist conventions. By highlighting the disobedient nature of Nightwood and Ida: A Novel this thesis aims to accentuate the inherent paradox of rupture within Modernism.