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