Introduction to Postmodernism

There is great difficulty in providing a specific definition of the term postmodernism. The difficulty lies in the fact that most definitions tend to define what postmodernism is not rather than what it is. There is also the issue that almost every literary critic differs in their definition of the term. 

Below are some of the definitions used by leading literary theorists:

• Postmodernism can be defined as a mode of thought or a strategy that as Jameson notes is the 'cultural dominant' of the late 20th century.

• Postmodernity is then defined as as a historical epoch ( 1960's-present) and/or social reality marked by late capitalism, globalisation, advanced technology and the media. Drolet in The Postmodern Reader states that 'Postmodernity and the postmodern are the sociological and historical expressions of postmodernism' (Drolet (2004:123), The Postmodern Reader

(Moe's definition of Postmodern - 'Weird for the sake of weird')