1. The Importance of the Symbol:
* Reality is subjective: They rejected the idea of a single, objective truth. Instead, they believed that reality is shaped by individual perception and experience.
* Symbols as windows to the soul: Symbols were seen as tools to access deeper, hidden meanings and emotions, revealing the inner world of the artist and the reader.
* Symbols are suggestive, not literal: Symbolists aimed to create a "suggestion" rather than a direct explanation. They preferred ambiguity and allowed the reader to interpret the symbols on their own.
2. The Power of the Imagination:
* Imagination over reason: They emphasized the importance of intuition, imagination, and emotion over logic and reason.
* Dreams and the subconscious: Symbolists drew inspiration from dreams, myths, and folklore, exploring the subconscious mind and its hidden desires.
* The "correspondence of the world": They believed in the interconnectedness of all things, where every object, sound, or color held a hidden meaning and could be linked to other elements of the universe.
3. The Importance of Art and Beauty:
* Art as a spiritual experience: Symbolists saw art as a means to access a higher truth and experience the spiritual realm.
* Beauty as a key to the transcendent: They believed that beauty was essential to revealing the deeper meaning of life and connecting with the divine.
* Emphasis on atmosphere and mood: Symbolist works often feature evocative imagery, evocative language, and sensory details to create a specific atmosphere and mood.
4. Rejection of Realism and Naturalism:
* Revolt against the mundane: Symbolists rejected the objective descriptions of realism and the focus on social issues in naturalism.
* Focus on the individual and the inner life: They prioritized exploring the inner world of the artist and the reader's subjective experience.
* Aestheticism: Symbolists embraced the pursuit of beauty for its own sake, rejecting the need for art to have a practical or didactic purpose.
Notable Symbolist Writers and Artists:
* Poets: Charles Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud, Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine
* Writers: Joris-Karl Huysmans, Oscar Wilde, Thomas Hardy
* Painters: Gustave Moreau, Odilon Redon, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, Edvard Munch
Overall, Symbolism marked a significant shift in artistic expression. It challenged the traditional focus on realism and rationalism, emphasizing the power of the imagination and the subjective experience. It continues to influence art, literature, and music to this day.