Nietzsche and decadence: the anarchy of instincts in culture and Wagner

Abstract

The present work aims to present, from a Nietzschean perspective, some aspects of the theory of decadence, limiting itself to its clash with nineteenth-century art. To carry out such an undertaking, we focus on the philosopher's third phase and on the writings of Nietzsche's last year of production. In fact, during the period, the author makes a detailed investigation of Richard Wagner, in The Wagner Case, from 1888. In view of this, at first, in order to introduce ourselves to the genealogical-physiological procedure through which the philosopher investigates art from the decadence, we highlight some specific aspects of the historical context of the concept of 'décadence' in the French literary movement of the second half of the nineteenth century. Then, the analysis and physiopsychological effects caused by Wagner's music, illustrated by Nietzsche, provided the raw material to compare Wagner's 'infinite melody' with Bizet's 'Mediterranean music', as well as the symptoms and effects that reverberate in the individual's life.