aestheticism and decadence

started in the 19th century in France with the theory of Gautier

sense of frustation

against middle class's materialism

art is superior and needs to represent self-expression of the artist

"art for art's sake" bohemiens escaped into an aesthtic isolation, they wanted to find beauty and art, also for Keats : art=beauty

Walter Pater published "Marius the Epicurean"

life as a work of art

art= only way to stop time

rejects religious faith

features of decadent artists

sensuous attitude

perversity

excessive attention to the self

evocative use of the language

dandy: a person who proposes a fashionable way of living, a model of what to be ex. Oscar Wilde the yellow book (1894-1897) Bearseley periodicals

Victorian Drama

1700-19th century, several factors can explain this situation

presence of great actors and actresses whose virtuosity often turnes very poor stuff into a great success

middle class didn't appreciate drama as a form of art, actors=vagabonds

rise of the novel

power of theatrical managers, they yook place of literary patrons and decided what plays might appeal to the audience and give financial returns

smaller plays , they helped the appreciation voth tragedy and comedy

improvements made the theatres more confortable and the new methods, more realistic effects

hard-hearted conspiring villains and happy endings with the triumph of true love and the punishment of the vilain

Wilde wrote brilliant comedies, most important characteristics were humourous, witty remarks ro expose the fault and hypocrisy of his age
Shaw wrote about drama as a vehicle for presenting his views on social institutions and human experiences in a provocative way

virtuos heroine in danger( romantic plot)

Ibsen influenced a lot of english works as A Doll's House (1879), cause a scandal, dealing with a failed image, he encouraged writers to write about social problems of his period