The writers in the modern era (1901-present) unit presented
the relationship between England and the rest of the world through a negative
lens.
For example, George Owell frequently wrote concerning his utmost
dislike towards the British Imperialism, where most of his ingenuity came from
his stop in Myanmar.
One of the relationships that the Modernist writers wrote about was the role of England as an imperialist power. England was usually portrayed in relationship to other powers based on its imperialist role. Some of this depictions were somewhat positive, such as those by Rudyard Kipling, while some were negative, such as "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell.
Another important relationship between England and the world was that of leading the Industrial Revolution and being the most modern and rich country on Earth in the years before the World Wars. Some of these also criticized England's inability to change with the times. Some of these authors are Oscar Wilde, Thomas Hardy and George Bernard Shaw.
Finally, one of the most important roles England had during this period was a leader of the feminist movement in the world. The role of the suffragettes and of female English authors was very significant. This includes authors such as Virginia Woolf and Marie Stopes.
