In Our Time

chevron_right

The Decadent Movement

Nov 18, 2021

Guest

Neil Sammells, a Professor of English and Irish Literature, Kate Hext, a Senior Lecturer at Exeter, and Alex Murray, a Senior Lecturer at Queen's University Belfast, dive into the intriguing world of the Decadent Movement. They discuss how figures like Oscar Wilde and Baudelaire rejected Victorian norms, celebrating 'art for art's sake.' The guests explore the bold aesthetics of 'The Yellow Book,' the controversies around dandyism, and the movement's eventual decline amid changing societal values, all while tracing its enduring influence on literature.

51:22

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Origins of English Decadence

English decadence was heavily influenced by Charles Baudelaire's focus on the artist as an individual.
It was also shaped by Walter Pater's aestheticism, focusing on intense sensory experiences in art.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Pater's Influence

Oscar Wilde, as a teenager, wrote fan mail to Walter Pater, referring to Pater's Renaissance as his "golden book."
Arthur Symons later described the sensory experience of holding Renaissance, highlighting its impact.

insights

INSIGHT

Defining Decadence

Arthur Symons' 1893 essay helped define decadence for English speakers, labeling it a "beautiful and interesting disease."
Symons included both expected figures like Walter Pater and surprising ones like W.E. Henley as decadent writers.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

The Influence of Baudelaire on English Decadence

01:48 • 2min

chevron_right

The Allure and Controversy of Decadence

03:24 • 13min

chevron_right

The Bold Aesthetics of The Yellow Book

16:37 • 3min

chevron_right

The Allure and Outrage of Decadence

19:25 • 14min

chevron_right

The Rise and Fall of Decadence in Literature

33:32 • 17min

chevron_right

The Commodification of Decadence and Cultural Battles

50:38 • 2min

chevron_right

Under the Hill

And Other Essays in Prose and Verse

Aubrey Beardsley

Under the Hill is an unfinished erotic novel by Aubrey Beardsley, inspired by the legend of Tannhäuser. It encapsulates the Decadent style with its emphasis on artifice, sensuality, and detailed descriptions. The novel was initially published in parts in The Savoy magazine and later in book form by Leonard Smithers. A completed version was published by John Glassco in 1959.

Zuleika Dobson

or, an Oxford love story

Max Beerbohm

Zuleika Dobson is a satirical novel by Max Beerbohm, published in 1911, which humorously critiques undergraduate life at Oxford. The story revolves around Zuleika, a captivating young woman whose presence leads to a series of absurd events, including a mass suicide by the university's male students. The novel is known for its witty prose and its exploration of themes such as love, societal norms, and the power dynamics between men and women.

The Great God Pan

Arthur Machen

In 'The Great God Pan', Arthur Machen crafts a chilling tale of horror and mystery that delves into the dark world of the supernatural. The story revolves around an experiment by Dr. Raymond, which unleashes a series of eerie and tragic events. This novella is a masterclass in atmospheric horror, influencing generations of horror writers with its exploration of the boundaries between reality and the occult.

The Hill of Dreams

None

Arthur Symons

Arthur Machen's "The Hill of Dreams" is a novel considered a significant work of British Decadence. Published in 1907, it explores themes of fantasy, dreams, and the subconscious. Machen's evocative prose and unsettling imagery create a sense of unease and mystery. The novel's exploration of the darker aspects of human nature and its ambiguous ending are characteristic of the Decadent aesthetic. "The Hill of Dreams"'s influence on subsequent fantasy and horror writers is undeniable, shaping their stylistic choices and thematic concerns. The novel remains a powerful and disturbing exploration of the human psyche.

The Decadent Movement in Literature

None

Arthur Symons

Arthur Symons's "The Decadent Movement in Literature" is a seminal essay that helped to define and popularize the Decadent movement. Published in 1893, it introduced English readers to the latest French Decadent writers, such as Stéphane Mallarmé and Paul Verlaine. Symons's essay is notable for its own distinctive style, characterized by its florid language and evocative imagery. He describes decadence as a "beautiful and interesting disease," reflecting the movement's fascination with the darker aspects of human experience. The essay's inclusion of W.E. Henley, a conservative writer, alongside Walter Pater, highlights the essay's attempt to broaden the understanding of Decadence and its presence in English literature.

Studies in the History of the Renaissance

None

Walter Pater

Walter Pater's "Studies in the History of the Renaissance" is a work of art criticism and cultural history that profoundly influenced the Aesthetic and Decadent movements. Published in 1873, it explores the art and culture of the Italian Renaissance, focusing on figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Pater's emphasis on the importance of sensory experience and his evocative prose style resonated with artists and writers who sought to break free from Victorian moralism. The book's concluding passage, advocating for a life of intense sensory experience, became particularly famous and controversial, leading to accusations of hedonism and moral corruption. The book's impact on the development of aestheticism and decadence is undeniable, shaping the sensibilities of writers like Oscar Wilde.

Against nature

Joris-Karl Huysmans

The Wind and the Willows

Kenneth Grahame

The Wind in the Willows is a classic children's novel written by Kenneth Grahame. The story follows the adventures of several anthropomorphic animals—primarily Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger—as they explore the riverbank and nearby Wild Wood. The novel highlights themes of friendship, nature, and the charm of rural life. It includes various adventures such as Toad's obsession with motorcars, a visit to the Wild Wood, and a climactic battle to reclaim Toad Hall from weasels and stoats. The book is known for its evocative descriptions of the countryside and its engaging characters.

The Railway Children

Edith Nesbit

The story follows Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis, who are forced to leave their comfortable suburban home in London and move to 'The Three Chimneys', a smaller house near a railway line in the countryside, after their father is imprisoned on false charges of espionage. The children befriend the railway staff and an Old Gentleman who regularly takes the 9:15 train. They have several adventures, including preventing a train disaster, rescuing a schoolboy with a broken leg, and helping a Russian exile find his family. The Old Gentleman eventually helps prove their father's innocence, leading to the family's reunion. The book emphasizes themes of family unity, kindness, and courage in the face of adversity.

The flowers of evil

Charles Baudelaire

Publié pour la première fois en 1857, *Les Fleurs du Mal* est un recueil poétique qui oppose le « spleen » (la souffrance et la mélancolie) à l'« idéal » (la recherche d'une transcendance). Baudelaire y explore des thèmes tels que la mort, le péché et la beauté dans le mal. L'œuvre est considérée comme une pierre angulaire de la poésie moderne.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde

The novel centers on the life of Dorian Gray, a young man who becomes infatuated with his own beauty and the hedonistic philosophies of Lord Henry Wotton. After wishing that his portrait would age instead of himself, Dorian embarks on a life of sensual excess and moral decay, while his portrait reflects the true state of his soul. The story delves into the duality of human nature, the allure of aestheticism, and the critique of Victorian society, highlighting the devastating effects of evil and debauchery on Dorian's life and those around him.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the British phase of a movement that spread across Europe in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. Influenced by Charles Baudelaire and by Walter Pater, these Decadents rejected the mainstream Victorian view that art needed a moral purpose, and valued instead the intense sensations art provoked, celebrating art for art’s sake. Oscar Wilde was at its heart, Aubrey Beardsley adorned it with his illustrations and they, with others, provoked moral panic with their supposed degeneracy. After burning brightly, the movement soon lost its energy in Britain yet it has proved influential.

The illustration above, by Beardsley, is from the cover of the first edition of The Yellow Book in April 1894.

With

Neil Sammells Professor of English and Irish Literature and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Bath Spa University

Kate Hext Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Exeter

And

Alex Murray Senior Lecturer in English at Queen’s University, Belfast

Producer: Simon Tillotson

Home Top podcasts Popular guests