The King in Yellow

“Fin de siècle” is a French term that translates to “end of the century” and is expressive of the period at the turn of the 19th century into the early 20th century (c. 1880-1914), and the style of arts, literature, ideas, and social mores which were prevalent at the time. The culture of the fin de siècle first originated in the bohemian and artistic communities of Paris, as a reaction against commercialism and the bourgeoisie. These ideas came to influence much of Europe and are associated with images of decadence, feelings of ennui and disillusionment, moral decay, and the coming of a new era.

People who adhered to the spirit of fin de siècle were often influenced by new theories of psychology prevalent at the time. Of particular significance is B. A. Morel’s concept of “mental degeneration,” in which he argued that human mental capacity could be degraded from generation to generation through the influence of damaging environments as well as personal influences such as excessive drinking and drug use. He believed these issues caused moral degeneracy, disability, and mental health conditions in the subsequent generations (Schwarz, Julian, and Burkhart Brückner. “Biography of Benedict Augustin Morel.