Decadence


 
 
Decadence

Decadence was the name given, first by hostile critics, and then triumphantly adopted by some writers themselves, to a number of late nineteenth century fin de si?cle writers associated with Symbolism or the Aesthetic movement.

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The idea of decadence refers to the supposed decline of a society because of moral weakness. The favourite example of this is ancient Rome, where, the story has it, a great empire was laid low by wicked emperors like Nero. The more dissolute emperors (Nero, Caligula, etc) ruled hundreds of years before the end of the empire.

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The concept of decadence dates from the eighteenth century, especially from Montesquieu. It was taken up by critics as a term of abuse after D?sir? Nisard used it against Victor Hugo and Romanticism in general. A later generation of Romantics, such as Theophile Gautier and Charles Baudelaire took the word as a badge of pride, as a sign of their rejection of what they saw as banal "progress." In the 1880s a group of French writers referred to themselves as decadents. The classic novel from this group is Joris-Karl Huysmans' Against Nature. As a literary movement decadence is now regarded as a transition between Romanticism and Modernism.

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In modern use, decadence is often defined as a decline in or loss of excellence, obstructing the pursuit of ideals. It is typified by the elevation of cleverness, education, and intellectual pretension over experience, and is often considered materialistic.

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Nineteenth century: redirect 19th century...

Symbolism: :For the late 19th-century movement in poetry and the arts, known as Symbolism, see Symbolism (arts)....

Aesthetic movement: REDIRECT Aestheticism...


Decadence related Images and Photos (experimental)

Decadence
Decadence
Decadence
Decadence
Floral Decadence
Floral Decadence
Floral Decadence
Floral Decadence
The Romans of the Decadence  1847
The Romans of the Decadence 1847
Map Showing Atlantis During the Period of Its Decadence
Map Showing Atlantis During the Period of Its Decadence

~ Table of Content ~

Introduction
Leninist use
Decadent artists
Further reading
External links
 
FR: Décadence


 

~ Related Subjects ~

French writers (1) - Novel (1) - Joris-Karl Huysmans (1) - Charles Baudelaire (1) - Progress (1) - 1880s (1) - Against Nature (1) - Pretension (1) - Experience (1) - Materialistic (1) - Modernism (1) - Ideal (1) - Education (1) - Theophile Gautier (1) - Aesthetic movement (1) -
 

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