What is Aestheticism?
Emphasis on beauty and artistic values above all else.
The Beauty of Aestheticism
Aestheticism is a school of thought that prioritizes beauty and artistic values above all else, valuing them as the highest means of expression and experience.
Its adherents seek to elevate the world through literary and artistic expression, emphasizing style, form, and the sensory pleasures literature can provide. The movement has its roots in the romantic period, but became particularly popular in the late 19th century.
Though aestheticism is often criticized for its emphasis on superficial beauty, its proponents argue that true beauty is a transcendental experience that can enrich the human soul.
Two examples of how aestheticism has played a role in literature.
Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray follows the titular character, a young man who becomes obsessed with his own beauty and youth. As he spirals into a life of hedonism and excess, he maintains his good looks while a portrait of him ages and becomes increasingly grotesque, capturing the darker side of aestheticism.
Andrew Marvell's poem 'To His Coy Mistress' includes elements of aestheticism as the speaker tries to persuade his lover to seize the day, emphasizing the fleeting nature of time and the beauty of the world around them.