The Little Review, January 1915 (Vol. 1, No. 10)

In Short

This issue of The Little Review functions as both a literary magazine and a rallying cry for the intellectual rebellion of 1915. Through poetry, essays, and critical reviews, it champions the "New Beauty"—a rigorous, modern aesthetic that rejects Victorian sentimentality in favor of industrial energy and individualistic expression. By engaging with figures like Nietzsche, Verhaeren, and the emerging voices of the American movement, the journal asserts that art must be as dynamic as the age itself, serving as a vital instrument for cultural transformation and personal liberation.

The Story

The journal opens with Amy Lowell’s poem "The Allies," which casts the First World War as a "writhing worm" of humanity, juxtaposing the mechanical slaughter of the battlefield against the internal struggle of the individual—the teacher, the poet, the mill owner—who seeks meaning within the chaos. This tension between the individual’s inner life and the encroaching machinery of modern society remains the central pulse of the entire volume. The narrative moves from the global scale of war into the intimate, often violent, domestic spheres where characters attempt to define their own truths against societal expectations.

In a dramatic dialogue, a character named Marya confronts a General, embodying the conflict between political idealism and personal love. Marya assassinates the General, not out of mere hatred, but as a final, tragic realization of her faith; the General himself accepts this death as the ultimate "work of art," a rebellion produced by his own long-standing scourge. This act of fatal commitment underscores the journal's preoccupation with the "flaming soul" and the necessity of carrying one’s convictions to their absolute, logical conclusion.

The middle section shifts to a critical exploration of the "New Beauty," a movement defined by the French poet Nicolas Beauduin. This movement demands that the artist reject the "ivory tower" and instead embrace the roar of factories, the speed of trains, and the dynamic consciousness of the industrial age. The journal argues that poetry must evolve as rapidly as machines, adopting a scientific technique and rejecting stagnant, sentimental traditions. This aesthetic of paroxysm—a sudden, violent outburst of energy—is contrasted with the stifling atmosphere of state-sanctioned censorship, as seen in a transcript of a debate regarding movie regulation. The censors, represented by a Major, advocate for protecting the public from "salacious" content, while a critic, Lucian Cary, argues that such paternalism only serves to deaden human perception and discourage the exercise of independent judgment.

The volume concludes by looking toward the future of human connection. Through discussions of literature and personal manifestos, the journal promotes a vision of "the bestowing virtue," a Nietzschean ideal where the truly noble soul gives of its own inner wealth rather than mere material alms. The text culminates in a call for a new harmony between men and women—a partnership where each retains their separate, distinct song, yet blends their voices to "enfold the world in our music." This vision of a liberated, creative humanity, standing defiantly against the "Oblomoffdom" of the past, marks the end of the collection’s intellectual journey.

How It Unfolds

The war of voices The issue begins with the harrowing imagery of conflict, establishing the struggle between the individual conscience and the "red-eyed eagle" of war. It immediately sets a tone of urgent, breathless inquiry into the purpose of human existence during times of catastrophe.

The sacrifice for a cause Through the dramatic encounter between Marya and the General, the text explores the heavy cost of ideological purity. The narrative pivots on the realization that to be true to one’s faith, one must be willing to destroy even the things one loves most.

The call for a new aesthetic The focus shifts to the manifesto of paroxysm, which demands that art discard the old ways of sentiment and embrace the mechanical, vibrant reality of modern life. This beat emphasizes the necessity of "active lyricism" and the rejection of everything that prevents a direct, honest engagement with the present.

The fight against censorship A debate on the role of the state in controlling art highlights the tension between institutional control and individual liberty. The text presents a clear argument that moral paternalism serves only to stunt the human spirit and prevent the development of a mature, discerning public.

The vision of the bestowing soul The concluding pieces synthesize these struggles into a philosophy of self-creation and generous interaction. The journal ends by proposing that the only way to enrich the world is to become a person whose very existence is a gift of "intimate truth" to others.

The People

The journal is populated by both real-world thinkers and archetypal figures who embody the conflicts of the age. Marya, the central figure of the dramatic dialogue, represents the "flaming soul" who prioritizes her radical convictions over her personal happiness. Her opponent, the General, acts as her foil, serving as a catalyst for her rebellion and ultimately framing his own death as a final, aesthetic triumph. Nicolas Beauduin appears as the champion of the "New Beauty," acting as the spokesperson for a generation of artists who wish to wed human expression to the industrial, mechanical pulse of the world. Lucian Cary emerges as the voice of reason against moralistic censorship, advocating for the individual’s right to see, judge, and think without state-imposed boundaries. Finally, the spirit of Nietzsche looms over the collection, providing the philosophical scaffolding for the "bestowing virtue"—the idea that the highest human aim is the creation of one’s own wealth of character to offer as a gift to humanity. Together, these figures represent a movement of individuals who are attempting to define a new, more courageous mode of living in a world that is rapidly becoming unrecognizable.

In Its Own Voice

"The cry jars and splits against the brazen, burnished sky."

This opening line characterizes the sudden, violent arrival of the modern war into the consciousness of the poet.

"To art for art’s sake, and art for truth’s sake, it opposes art for life’s sake."

This statement acts as a foundational pillar for the journal's commitment to a socially engaged and contemporary aesthetic.

"Vulgar souls give what they have, noble souls what they are."

The editor uses this distillation of Nietzschean thought to argue for a higher standard of personal contribution to society.

What It's Really About

At its core, this journal is a search for a new foundation for the human spirit in an age of mechanical and industrial upheaval. It asks whether the individual can survive, let alone flourish, when the old moral codes—religious, social, and aesthetic—have been rendered obsolete by war and mass production. The arguments here suggest that the only way to avoid the "stagnation" of the past is to embrace a philosophy of self-creation, where one defines their own values through constant, active rebellion. It is a text about the necessity of intellectual "hardness" and the courage required to live authentically when the structures that once supported society are crumbling under the weight of their own contradictions.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the raw, experimental energy of the early modernist movement will find this collection fascinating. It reads like a snapshot of a moment where everything felt possible, yet everything was under threat. The writing is intentionally provocative, often using the sharp, jagged language of the era to challenge the reader’s comfort.

For the modern reader, the journal offers a glimpse into the anxieties of 1915—fears about technology, the role of women, and the deadening effect of censorship—that remain strikingly relevant. It is not an easy read; the prose is dense with the high-minded, sometimes breathless intensity of a generation trying to tear down a world to build a better one. However, the reward is an intimate connection with voices that were, at the time, on the very cutting edge of human thought. You will walk away from it with a sense of the immense, almost exhausting effort it took for these thinkers to carve out space for their own individuality. It is a challenging, sometimes alienating, but ultimately exhilarating document of what it feels like to stand at the threshold of a new, and frighteningly uncertain, era.