Decadentism #
Decadentism is a cultural and literary movement born in France in the last decades of the 19th century (around 1880-1900). It arose as a reaction against Positivism: while Positivism exalted science and reason, Decadentism claimed that deep reality cannot be grasped through reason, but only through intuition, the senses, and mystery.
1. Main Characteristics #
- Rejection of reason and science: deep reality can’t be explained logically
- Importance of the unconscious: dreams and visions reveal hidden truths
- The poet as “seer”: the artist can see beyond appearances
- Symbolic language: poetry evokes through symbols, sounds and images
- Aestheticism: the cult of beauty as the supreme value
- Fascination with mystery and death: recurring themes of illness, madness, dreams
2. The Currents #
Symbolism #
Born in France with poets like Baudelaire, Verlaine, Rimbaud and Mallarmé. Poetry doesn’t describe reality — it evokes it through symbols and analogies.
Aestheticism #
Represented by Oscar Wilde (England) and Gabriele D’Annunzio (Italy). The artist lives life as a work of art, seeking pleasure and beauty at all costs.
3. Charles Baudelaire — the Forefather #
Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) is considered the father of Decadentism. His main work, The Flowers of Evil (1857), found beauty even in evil, sickness and death.
📝 Analogy: Baudelaire compared the poet to an albatross: a magnificent bird in flight, but clumsy and ridiculous on the ground. The poet is great in art, but unsuited for ordinary life.
4. Decadentism in Italy #
The main Italian representatives were:
- Gabriele D’Annunzio — aestheticism and the idea of the “superman”
- Giovanni Pascoli — symbolism and childlike wonder at the world
Conclusion #
Decadentism marked a turning point in European culture: from faith in science and progress to exploration of mystery, the unconscious, and the deepest feelings. This movement profoundly influenced all 20th-century literature and art.
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