Decadence

From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change

Decadence (pronounce: DEK-a-dence) means a state in which people are behaving in a way that is morally bad. The adjective is decadent (pronounce: DEK-a-dent). It has nothing to do with the word decade (10 years). “Decadence” comes from the Latin words “de” (from) and “cadere” (to fall).

Decadence is usually a state in a society which used to be good but has become bad. Many people have started to behave in a way that others think is shocking. Of course, not everyone will agree what is “good” or “bad”, but some societies, such as ancient Rome at the end of its existence, are always thought to have been decadent.

In literature and other arts the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century is often called the “Decadent movement”. It is often called the “fin de siècle” (end of century). In France there were several writers who were happy to be called “decadent”. They included Paul Verlaine, Charles Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud and Stéphane Mallarmé. In England they included Oscar Wilde.