42 pages • 1 hour read
Modris EksteinsRites of Spring: The Great War and the Birth of the Modern Age
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1989A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Rites of Spring by Modris Eksteins explores the cultural and ideological currents leading to and resulting from World War I, initiated by tensions between Germany's drive for innovation and the Anglo-French desire to maintain the old world order. Tying the war's brutality to the modernist upheaval epitomized by the 1913 ballet The Rite of Spring, Eksteins examines the impact on soldiers' morale, the lasting disillusionment post-war, and the rise of extremist ideologies. The book includes discussion of wartime violence, trench warfare misery, and anti-Semitic sentiments.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Rites of Spring by Modris Eksteins is praised for its unique cultural history approach to World War I, blending art, politics, and societal shifts. Reviewers commend its originality and interdisciplinary insights but note its dense theoretical framework can be challenging. Despite complex narrative layers, it is lauded for its compelling connections between cultural movements and historical events.
Who Should Read Rites of Spring?
Readers interested in Rites of Spring by Modris Eksteins are likely enthusiasts of cultural history and the transformative power of art. Comparable to fans of Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front and Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, they appreciate detailed analyses of WWI's influence on modernity and the arts' role in societal shifts.