A Vision of Modern Life

This research work aims at going beyond the insights of the critics views regarding the world of Evelyn Waugh and his vision of Modern life. After analyzing what other critics have seen in the different novels of Waugh, efforts have been made to research upon the vision of the writer about the modern world untouched so far. Chapter One is the introductory chapter, consisting of two sections: Section One examines the effect of the two World Wars on humanity and literature. As the period of modern life has been the setting of two great and deadly events: the First and Second World Wars, this Section depicts the miseries; the decline of values and faith in modern life. This is all brought out through the study of Modernism, the period between the two World Wars, different war writers who have written about the age of wars, anxiety, loss, despair and death. The impact of war on human life in general and the life of individuals in particular is brought out by the different literary figures. While Section Two sheds light on a general survey of Evelyn Waugh¿s artistic development and a brief study of other literary works, not included in the selected novels of this thesis.