During the twentieth century a new term was used to classify literature and was called modernism. Modernism is not easily identified by one or two characteristics because two writers could have different styles and still be modernists. TS Elliot and William Carlos Williams are a perfect example of the different styles of modernism. The reason why these two might differ so strongly from each other might be related to their different backgrounds. With all the variations in style and topics written about how can one adequately summarize modernism? Works written during the twentieth century cannot be summarized simply by looking at one or two different characteristics. Modernism is “a term that most clearly suggests the lively disagreements, multiplicity of styles, and plurality of movements within the broad revolution of the arts” (Belasco, Johnson 529). Modernism was the revolution in the arts that addressed current issues faced in the United States and Europe. Different poetic styles were experimented including oriental ones. The different poetic styles as well as the different issues addressed by individual poets are easily visible in their work. The only thing the different poets could agree on was "the necessity of poetry, its vital role in culture and society". (Belasco, Johnson 530). Summarizing modernism is not an easy task due to all the various differences in the movement, but at the same time that is also why it is easy to explain. Modernism was the style that addressed current social issues, allowed for the implementation of new ideals, the use of styles from different countries and a move away from oldexploi......middle of paper......why he wrote the way he did. The style that Williams was trying to push forward was probably never taught in the schools Elliot attended, so that may have been a factor as well. Both of these men wanted to make poetry more important and succeeded, just in different ways. Modernism was a style of writing that focused on many different things. Ultimately the goal was to replace old ideals with new, relevant ones. Writers like Williams and Elliot did just that, writing in ways that broke from the norm and in doing so moved things forward. They did their work in different ways, most likely due to the influence of their past. This may have caused them problems for each other, while still allowing poetry to become more important in the twentieth century.