Aestheticism as literary trend

Chapter 1

Aestheticism or the Aesthetic Movement is an art movement supporting the emphasis of aesthetic values more than social-political themes for literature, fine art, music and other arts.

Aestheticism in own way means recognition of beauty, as main and eternal value of mankind.

This direction became a cult in literature and painting.

The aestheticism is part of romanticism and takes the sources at the beginning of the XIX century in England in the Victorian era in the 19th century approximately in 1868 — 1901,

The Victorian era — the period of board of Victoria, the queen of Great Britain and Ireland, the empress of India.

The Victorian period in the history of England can be considered one of the most significant and important. It is characterized by fast changes in many spheres of human life. It were technological, demographic shifts, change of attitude of people, changes in political and social system.

Distinctive feature of this era is lack of considerable wars. that allowed the country to develop intensively — in particular in the sphere of development of infrastructure, construction of the railroads. In the field of economy during this period industrial revolution and development of capitalism proceeded. For social shape of an era the strict moral code (gentlemanliness) which fixed conservative values and class distinctions is characteristic.

How many brilliant names the Victorian era gave us! Charles Dickens, William Thackeray, Anthony Trollope, Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling and Oscar Wilde. According to Dickens and Thackeray's novels, in particular, we can learn about transport at that time, about operations on the stock exchange in the London City, about prisons, about hospitals and theaters, about the markets and pleasure institutions, about types of taverns, restaurants and hotels of old England. Works of these two writers is an encyclopedia of that time: various classes, characters, age; life of rich men and poor people; figures of the doctor, the lawyer, the actor, the representative of the aristocracy and the person without certain occupations, the poor seamstress and secular young lady, manufacturer and worker - such is the world of novels of that time, writers of the Victorian era.

Many of traditions which as sometimes it seems to us existed always appeared during Queen Victoria's era. The family at that time was considered as a stronghold of society. The example in it was set by Queen Victoria, whose marriage with the prince Albert was very happy. Special significance was attached to the house which during this era was urged to reflect not only welfare of a family, but also idea of rest and family happiness.

The existence of aestheticism as the movement was short. Time has come to aestheticism epic conclusion at the end of the XIX century. Perhaps that is why the term aesthetics is not taken seriously, like other areas in the history of art, but is used quite extensively.

Among the most influential of aesthetes may be called names such as the poet John Keats, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, James McNeill Whistler, as well as one of the most famous aesthetes - Oscar Wilde.

They reflected direction of aesthetics in his works influenced the minds of the people, suggesting that in life it is necessary to appreciate the pleasure, sensual pleasure and to be fascinating.

The Aestheticism appeals to life hedonism, aspiration to enjoy life and the beauty dissolved in it.

The Hedonism was presented in the form of the esthetic position proclaiming pleasure the highest blessing to which human existence is reduced.

Artists and writers of the esthetic movement considered that arts have to give us refined sensual pleasure, and not transfer moralizing or sentimental messages at all.

Writers of the aesthetic movement didn't consider that art as something instructive or useful.

On the contrary, they believed that art has no didactic purpose that the only thing to it the requirement is to be perfect.

Aesthetes developed a cult of beauty, which they considered a major factor in art. They declared that life should copy Art. The nature in comparison with the art they seemed rough material, and its design was far from perfect.

Esthetes developed a cult of beauty which they considered a major factor in art. They proclaimed that Life has to copy Art. The nature in comparison with art seemed to them rough material, and its design wasn't perfect.

The Art for Art’s sake– reflection and a reconstruction of fine.

Art shouldn't pursue any aims and therefore the main slogan of esthetes is" Art for Art" (" Art for art’s sake "). Art has to be always graceful and harmonious and free from morals, policy and religion. The estheticism suggests to organize life under laws of art, thereby having aestheticized it.

The idea that comes to decadent–"experience for the experience," and here they understand every experience, without limitation, in the name of beauty, abstract, complex, blurred and obscure.

However, if we come back to aestheticism and its beginnings we certainly must speak about the prominent writers. In connection with these, it is important to mention the term “decadence”. In 19th century aestheticism was related to the decadence movement which originated in France. Decadent writers often chose dark and horror-like topics for their novels and used fictive and romantic style

What means the word "decadence"?

In the different countries of Europe decadent currents appear in the mid-eighties. A decadence — the latest spiritual fashion. Decadents seek to aestheticize the world, to turn everything, up to own feelings and unattractive details of life, into a work of art. So, in a miniature "Smoked herring" from the collection "Vase with Spices" of the Belgian writer Joris Karl Huysmans banal herring casts all shades of flowers, is poured, like a heap of jewelry, turns into a work of art, like Rembrandt's picture: "Your head, about herring, sparkles as a gold helmet, and your eyes it would be possible to call the black nails hammered into copper circles!

Decadents have a whimsical feeling of the nature. It doesn't interest their in itself any more. Its beauty — a reason for impressionist experience. Its naturalness — an occasion in order that the person could open the nature in himself: to distinguish existence of the instincts threatening to blow up a reasonable cover of civilized life.

Aestheticism proclaimed freedom of absolutely everything: life, clothing, human relations, behavior and communication.

Constant themes are the motives of non-being and death, longing for spiritual values ​​and ideals, frustration, dissatisfaction with life, there is life, its total rejection. The reason, they believe, lies in the whole of humanity, closely linked to its historical past. The artist is always looking for the perfect, eternal pleasure. This reflects the principle of a "double life" of constant frustration and mysticism. Without having found fine in life, having realized limitations of human life with all its pragmatism, remains nothing as soon as to cross obviously established side to begin all over again.

At the moment, we are the generation of the XXI century, far removed beyond the technical capabilities are gradually returning to a similar lifestyle. If you look at today's literature, painting, as well as the art of photography (our time gives us a great opportunity to maintain excellent in seconds) you will notice that aestheticism back to us after a long break.

What is reading public? The answer is clear - bestsellers. What are they like? What do they draw? What imitate? A striking example of modern aestheticism novel E. James, released on the world book market recently "Fifty shades of gray."

At the moment, we are the generation of the XXI century, far removed beyond the technical capabilities are gradually returning to a similar lifestyle. If you look at today's literature, painting, as well as the art of photography, our time gives us a great opportunity to maintain excellent for second. For example we can take pictuters through the camera or mobile phone.

What is reading public? The answer is clear - bestsellers. What are they like? A striking example of modern aestheticism novel E. James, released on the world book market recently "Fifty shades of gray." This book shows the beauty as the most beautiful thing that can happen in the world, in that it is possible to fall in love, that can be compared with the deity, from which you can receive moral and carnal pleasure. Even the name of the main character of the novel Grey (similar to the Oscar Wilde novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray").

I will give one more example, the sensational saga "Twilight". The main character has unique beauty which dements all and the main character also comes under this influence after which, all girls had "a beauty ideal" which they looked for in real life.

And those who doesn't look, on their concept "beautiful", are considered ugly and don't deserve normal life. All of us are subject to influence of literature as we consider it the guide of time. And now, back to us postulate of life - art - beauty, which again "breaks" in our lives with new writers, artists, poets.

Aestheticism as quality of the personality – tendency to show genuine interest in all graceful and fine, to differ in the developed taste, to be a good judge of harmony and beauty, to estimate everything exclusively from the esthetic point of view. -Valery Afonchenko

The esthete — is the person who, having heard shout of pain, will try to pick up music to this shout.- Alexander Kruglov

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 1578