KEY CONCEPTS OF POSTMODERNISM

This chapter explores the shift from the Modern to the Postmodern period in world literature during the late 20th century, describing the latter as a "post-revolutionary" phase of cultural reflection. Unlike previous literary schools, which followed a clear chronological order, the Postmodern era is characterized by the simultaneous presence of various styles, from traditional realism to avant-garde. The discussion examines the philosophical underpinnings of postmodernism—based on post-structuralism, deconstructivism, and the decentering of the self—and highlights its main aesthetic principles: intertextuality, hyperreality, and "play." By comparing the modernist "chaosmos" with the postmodern "ordered chaos," the text shows how contemporary literature connects elitist intellectualism and mass culture through layered storytelling, hybrid-citation thinking, and a pluralistic view of truth.