The Emergence of Symbolism in Literature: Causes and Influences
The emergence of Symbolism in literature during the late 19th century was a reaction to various cultural, intellectual, and historical shifts that reshaped the way writers and artists viewed the world. Symbolism marked a departure from the conventional forms and structures of the preceding literary movements, particularly Realism and Naturalism. While the symbolic movement was primarily centered in France, its impact extended throughout Europe and beyond, influencing poetry, theater, and prose in significant ways. In this article, we explore the primary causes behind the rise of Symbolism in literature and its lasting impact on the literary world.
1. The Reaction Against Realism and Naturalism
To understand why Symbolism emerged, it is crucial to examine the literary environment that preceded it. The 19th century saw the dominance of Realism and Naturalism, movements that sought to depict life as it truly was, focusing on the mundane aspects of daily existence. Realist authors like Gustave Flaubert and Honore de Balzac depicted society with a painstaking attention to detail, often emphasizing the gritty realities of life, while Naturalists such as Émile Zola believed that human behavior was largely shaped by environment and heredity.
However, by the latter part of the 19th century, many writers and artists grew disillusioned with these movements. They felt that the relentless focus on materialism and external realities was stifling creativity and reducing human experience to mere observation. Symbolists rejected the idea that literature should be limited to mere representations of reality, advocating instead for the exploration of deeper, often unseen truths.
Whereas Realists and Naturalists emphasized empirical observation and scientific explanation, Symbolists turned inward, focusing on emotion, intuition, and spirituality. They believed that language could transcend the mundane and evoke deeper meanings, often drawing upon dreams, myths, and metaphysical concepts. This shift in perspective led to the rejection of the need for clear and direct narrative forms, giving rise to a more suggestive, elusive style of writing.
2. Philosophical and Intellectual Movements
The rise of Symbolism was closely linked to broader philosophical and intellectual movements of the time. The late 19th century was marked by a growing interest in psychology, metaphysics, and existential questions about the nature of reality and the self. Influential thinkers such as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung were beginning to explore the unconscious mind, suggesting that human behavior and thought were not fully accessible to reason. The Symbolists, with their focus on the interior and subjective experience, were deeply influenced by these ideas, seeking to express the hidden depths of human consciousness through symbolic language.
Additionally, the rise of existentialism and the questioning of established truths, particularly those related to religion and morality, created an intellectual climate ripe for experimentation. Authors like Fyodor Dostoevsky and Friedrich Nietzsche, with their focus on the individual’s struggle to find meaning in a world without absolute values, influenced Symbolist writers in their exploration of ambiguity, uncertainty, and the pursuit of transcendence.
The Symbolists were also influenced by the philosophy of idealism, which emphasized the importance of the mind and spirit in shaping reality. This was a reaction to the materialism of the industrial age and the mechanization of life. The Symbolists sought to express the unseen, the spiritual, and the imaginative aspects of human existence that could not be reduced to physical explanations. Through symbols and metaphors, they aimed to bridge the gap between the concrete world and the transcendent realms of the mind and soul.
3. The Influence of Art and the Aesthetic Movement
The Symbolist movement was not confined to literature alone; it had close ties to the visual arts and music as well. The Aesthetic Movement, which emerged in the late 19th century, promoted the idea of “art for art’s sake” and rejected the notion that art should serve moral or social purposes. Writers and artists involved in the Aesthetic Movement, including figures like Oscar Wilde, James McNeill Whistler, and Stéphane Mallarmé, sought to create works that focused solely on beauty, form, and expression, without any obligation to adhere to traditional conventions or moral messages.
The Symbolists were heavily influenced by this aesthetic philosophy, prioritizing the emotional and sensory experiences that art could evoke. In literature, this translated into a more fragmented, less conventional approach to narrative structure, where meaning was often conveyed through imagery, rhythm, and suggestion rather than direct description or plot. Writers such as Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine, and Arthur Rimbaud sought to evoke a heightened sense of beauty and emotion through their use of metaphor and symbol, sometimes at the expense of logical clarity.
The visual arts also had a profound impact on Symbolism. The Symbolist painters, such as Odilon Redon, Gustave Moreau, and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, rejected the realistic portrayal of everyday life and instead embraced dreamlike, symbolic imagery. These works often explored themes of the mystical, the supernatural, and the irrational, mirroring the literary Symbolists’ interest in depicting hidden realities and transcendent experiences. The close relationship between the visual arts and literature in the Symbolist movement fostered a cross-pollination of ideas, where symbolic imagery was used not only to represent specific ideas but also to create an atmosphere of mystery and ambiguity.
4. The Decline of Religion and Traditional Beliefs
The late 19th century was a period of great social and cultural upheaval. The Enlightenment had brought about a rationalist worldview that placed reason and science at the forefront of human understanding, while the rise of industrialization and urbanization further eroded traditional structures of belief. As scientific discoveries, such as Darwin’s theory of evolution, challenged long-held religious views, many people began to question the existence of a divine order or any objective truths about the universe.
This decline in religious certainty contributed to the emergence of Symbolism, as writers and artists sought alternative ways to explore meaning in a world where traditional answers no longer seemed sufficient. The Symbolists, rejecting the materialistic and empirical views of the world, turned toward spirituality and the metaphysical. They embraced mystery and ambiguity, viewing symbols as a way to access a deeper, more transcendental understanding of the world.
For many Symbolists, literature became a means of exploring the hidden, esoteric realms of the human experience. This was particularly evident in the work of poets like Baudelaire, who often engaged with themes of religious doubt, the search for transcendence, and the conflict between the physical and spiritual worlds. The use of religious, mythological, and occult symbols became a way to explore these complex questions in a more nuanced and personal manner.
5. The Influence of Modernism and the Evolution of Literary Form
The Symbolist movement also laid the groundwork for the development of Modernism, which would dominate the early 20th century. Modernist writers, such as James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and T.S. Eliot, were influenced by the Symbolist rejection of realism and the search for new ways of representing reality. Modernism took many of the ideas introduced by the Symbolists—such as the use of fragmented narrative structures, the emphasis on subjective experience, and the exploration of ambiguity—and pushed them further.
While the Symbolists were more focused on emotion and metaphor, Modernist writers sought to capture the complexities of modern life in a fragmented, sometimes disorienting manner. The shift from clear narrative structures to stream-of-consciousness and fragmented forms of representation can be traced back to the Symbolist desire to break free from traditional literary forms. In this way, the Symbolists played a pivotal role in the evolution of literary form, influencing a wide range of writers who sought to express the complexities of the modern world.
6. Cultural and Societal Changes
The late 19th century was a period of dramatic cultural and societal change. The rise of industrial capitalism, urbanization, and the growth of a middle class brought about significant shifts in the way people lived, worked, and thought. With these changes came a growing sense of alienation and fragmentation, as traditional social structures were increasingly replaced by the forces of modernity.
Symbolism emerged in this context as a reaction to the perceived loss of meaning and unity in the modern world. The Symbolists sought to counterbalance the mechanization of life by focusing on the emotional, spiritual, and imaginative dimensions of human experience. In their works, they explored themes of isolation, despair, and the search for meaning in an increasingly fragmented society. This made Symbolist literature not only a reaction to previous literary movements but also a response to the broader cultural currents of the time.
Conclusion
The rise of Symbolism in literature was the product of various interwoven factors—literary, philosophical, artistic, and cultural—that shaped the intellectual landscape of the late 19th century. As a reaction against the rigid conventions of Realism and Naturalism, Symbolism offered a more subjective, emotional, and spiritual approach to literature. Its emphasis on symbols, metaphors, and ambiguity allowed writers to explore the complexities of human experience and convey deeper meanings that transcended the material world.
The influence of Symbolism can be seen in the works of writers and artists who followed, particularly in the development of Modernism. Though the Symbolist movement itself was relatively short-lived, its impact on literature, art, and culture continues to be felt today. Through their focus on the unseen and the ineffable, the Symbolists reshaped the way we understand and engage with literature, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, experimentation, and transcendence that continues to inspire new generations of writers and artists.