Literary notes about Humdrum (AI summary)
The word "humdrum" is frequently deployed to convey the dull, monotonous aspect of everyday life and social custom within literary works. Authors use it to highlight the plainness of routine existence, often contrasting it with episodes of excitement or idealism. For example, it describes the mundane lives of characters who feel stifled by conventionality, as seen when the pace of a country doctor’s journey starkly emphasizes ordinary life [1] or when a character laments a life reduced to ceaseless, unremarkable routine [2]. At the same time, the term subtly critiques societal norms, suggesting that within the repetitive, humdrum fabric of existence, there may lie a deeper yearning for something extraordinary [3],[4].