Decadence Contra Nietzsche:Nietzsche and the Decadent Movement

Nietzsche’s focus on decadence in the 1880s coincided with the concept’s dominance on the European literary scene. There is, however, little sustained conceptual investigation of the relationship between Nietzsche’s model of decadence and the vision elaborated by authors in what has become known as the ‘Decadent Movement.’ I argue that such a comparison is philosophically important. On the one hand, it clarifies what is distinctive in Nietzsche’s<br/>account and it echoes his reading on key points. On the other, the Decadent Movement frequently challenges Nietzsche’s analysis or centers phenomena which he can account for only with difficulty. Taking Huysmans’ À Rebours as the main example, I juxtapose and weigh these visions of decadence on issues including immoralism, exhaustion, and unity.<br/><br/>Keywords: Decadence, Huysmans, Unity, Luxury, Immoralism