32 Questions
What was the main goal of the Symbolism art movement?
To represent absolute truths symbolically through language and metaphorical images
Which literary work marked the origin of the Symbolist style?
Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire
Who articulated the Symbolist aesthetic in the 1880s?
Jean Moréas
From which language is the term 'symbol' derived?
Latin
Who admired and translated the works of Edgar Allan Poe into French?
Charles Baudelaire
What did the term 'symbolism' originally mean in classical Greek?
An object cut in half
What was the symbolon in ancient Greece?
A shard of pottery inscribed and broken into two pieces
What was symbolism primarily a reaction against?
Naturalism and realism
Which writer began as a naturalist before becoming a symbolist due to increasing interest in religion and spirituality?
Joris-Karl Huysmans
What did Symbolist poets admire about Parnassianism?
Love of word play and musical qualities of verse
Who established the Salon de la Rose + Croix in Paris to promote Symbolism?
Joséphin Péladan
When was the Symbolist Manifesto published?
18 September 1886
Who were named as the three leading poets of the Symbolist movement in the Symbolist Manifesto?
Charles Baudelaire, Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine
What was declared as hostile by the Symbolist Manifesto?
"Plain meanings, declamations, false sentimentality, and matter-of-fact description"
"Art for art's sake" was a motto admired by which group of poets?
Parnassians
Who publicly mocked prominent Parnassians and published scatological parodies of some of their main authors?
Arthur Rimbaud
What was the origin of the Symbolist style in literature?
The publication of Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire
Who coined the term 'symbolist' to distinguish the Symbolists from the related Decadents of literature and art?
Jean Moréas
Which language does the term 'symbol' derive from?
Latin
Who were the two poets who developed the Symbolist aesthetic during the 1860s and 1870s?
Paul Verlaine and Stéphane Mallarmé
What was Symbolism primarily a reaction against?
Naturalism
What was the source of many stock tropes and images in Symbolism?
The works of Edgar Allan Poe
What was the purpose of the symbolon in ancient Greece?
To record an alliance between two city states
What was symbolism primarily a reaction against?
Naturalism and realism
Who established the Salon de la Rose + Croix in Paris to promote Symbolism?
Joséphin Péladan
Which writer began as a naturalist before becoming a symbolist due to increasing interest in religion and spirituality?
Joris-Karl Huysmans
What did the Symbolist Manifesto declare as hostile?
Plain meanings
Who were named as the three leading poets of the Symbolist movement in the Symbolist Manifesto?
Charles Baudelaire, Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine
'Art for art's sake' was a motto admired by which group of poets?
Parnassians
Who publicly mocked prominent Parnassians and published scatological parodies of some of their main authors?
Arthur Rimbaud
Which literary style immediately preceded Symbolism, influencing it?
Parnassianism
What did the Symbolists admire about Parnassianism?
Love of word play and musical qualities of verse
Study Notes
Symbolism Art Movement
- The main goal of the Symbolism art movement was to move away from realistic and naturalistic representations, focusing on the emotional and intellectual aspects of art.
- The Symbolist style originated from the literary work of Edgar Allan Poe, which was translated into French by Charles Baudelaire.
Symbolist Aesthetic
- The Symbolist aesthetic was articulated by Jean Moréas in the 1880s.
- The term "symbol" is derived from the Greek language.
Ancient Greek Influences
- In ancient Greece, the symbolon was a token or ticket used to identify a person or their belongings.
- Originally, the term "symbolism" in classical Greek meant "putting together" or "comparing".
Reaction Against
- Symbolism was primarily a reaction against naturalism and realism.
- It was also a reaction against the scientific and materialistic views of the time.
Key Figures
- Charles Baudelaire admired and translated the works of Edgar Allan Poe into French.
- Stéphane Mallarmé, a writer, began as a naturalist before becoming a symbolist due to increasing interest in religion and spirituality.
- Joséphin Péladan established the Salon de la Rose + Croix in Paris to promote Symbolism.
Symbolist Manifesto
- The Symbolist Manifesto was published in 1886.
- The manifesto declared that Parnassianism was hostile to the Symbolist movement.
- The three leading poets of the Symbolist movement named in the manifesto were Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine, and Jean Moréas.
Influences and Legacy
- Symbolist poets admired the musicality and technical skill of Parnassianism.
- The group of poets who admired the motto "Art for art's sake" were the Parnassians.
- Remy de Gourmont publicly mocked prominent Parnassians and published scatological parodies of some of their main authors.
- The term "symbolist" was coined by Jean Moréas to distinguish the Symbolists from the related Decadents of literature and art.
- The two poets who developed the Symbolist aesthetic during the 1860s and 1870s were Charles Baudelaire and Paul Verlaine.
- The source of many stock tropes and images in Symbolism was the Bible and medieval mythology.
Test your knowledge of the Symbolism movement in late 19th-century French and Belgian poetry and arts, including its origins and major influences such as Charles Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe.
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