Mourning modernism literature catastrophe and the politics of consolation examines the writing of catastrophe mass death and collective loss in 20th century literature and criticism. Download citation mourning modernism literature catastrophe and the politics of consolation review what do the time passes section of virginia woolfs to the lighthouse 1927 walter . Mourning modernism literature catastrophe and the politics of consolation examines the writing of catastrophe mass death and collective loss in 20th century literature and criticism with particular focus on texts by virginia woolf walter benjamin and wg sebald mourning modernism engages the centurys signal preoccupation with world ending a mixed rhetoric of totality and rupture . Mourning modernism literature catastrophe and the politics of consolation examines the writing of catastrophe mass death and collective loss in 20th century literature and criticism