This work investigates the historical and cultural mechanisms that established the perception of Modernism as inherently difficult or inaccessible to the general public. Leonard Diepeveen, a scholar of twentieth-century literature, examines how the rhetoric of difficulty became a defining feature of Modernist identity. By analyzing critical reception, manifestos, and pedagogical practices, the author argues that the label of difficulty was often a strategic construct used to define the boundaries of high art against popular culture.

Scholars frequently cite this text as a primary resource for understanding the institutionalization of Modernist aesthetics. Experts highlight the author's rigorous approach to archival research and his ability to deconstruct the myths surrounding the accessibility of canonical literature.