Cultural Drift and Artistic Response

The modernist movement is often seen as a reaction by artists to the perceived cultural drift experienced over the last few centuries. This drift suggests a loss of coherent norms and values, prompting artists to critically engage with their cultural context. Through works like Musil's 'The Man Without Qualities,' the struggle of characters to navigate a fragmented world highlights their inability to inherit traditional values, leading to feelings of alienation. This disconnect creates a pervasive atmosphere of disillusionment, as depicted through the anti-hero archetypes emblematic of modern literature.