The Crepusculars (Italian: Poeti Crepuscolari "twilight poets") were a group of Italian post-

decadent The word decadence, which at first meant simply "decline" in an abstract sense, is now most often used to refer to a perceived decay in standards, morals, dignity, religious faith, honor, discipline, or skill at governing among the members of ...

poets whose work is notable for its use of musical and mood-conveying language and its general tone of despondency. The group's metaphorical name, coined in 1910 by literary critic

Giuseppe Antonio Borgese Giuseppe Antonio Borgese (12 November 1882 – 4 December 1952) was an Italian writer, journalist, literary critic, Germanist, poet, playwright and academic naturalized American. Biography During the academic year 1899-1900, under pressure from ...

to refer to a condition of decline, describes a number of poets whose melancholic writings were a response to the modernization of the early 20th century. The crepusculars were not a centrally organized movement, and the writers in this group of poets were active in three different regions the country: Carlo Chiaves, Guido Gozzano,

Nino Oxilia Nino Oxilia (13 November 1889 – 18 November 1917) was an Italian playwright, screenwriter and film director.Moliterno p. 258 His 1911 play '' Goodbye Youth'' was turned into several films. He also wrote the first lyrics for the song "Giovinezz ...

, and Carlo Vallini in the Piedmont region of Northwest Italy; Corrado Govoni and

Marino Moretti Marino Moretti (born Cesenatico, Italy; July 18, 1885 – July 6, 1979) was an Italian poet and author. Moretti's mother instilled in him a love of literature. After a failed attempt at an acting career, he began writing poetry; his first work ...

in the Romagna region of Northeast Italy; and

Sergio Corazzini Sergio Corazzini (6 February 1886 – 17 June 1907) was an Italian poet, a member of the Crepuscolari movement. Biography Born in Rome into a wealthy family, Corazzini formed at the Collegio Umberto I, where he was passionate author and direct ...

and Fausto Maria Martini in Rome. Their attitude represents a reaction to the content-poetry and rhetorical style of (Nobel Prize–winning poet) Giosue Carducci and Gabriele D'Annunzio, favouring instead the unadorned language and homely themes typical of

Giovanni Pascoli Giovanni Placido Agostino Pascoli (; 31 December 1855 – 6 April 1912) was an Italian poet, classical scholar and an emblematic figure of Italian literature in the late nineteenth century. Alongside Gabriele D'Annunzio, he was one of the great ...

. These poets refuse to pursue the ‘poetic mission’, distinguishing themselves from the authors of the previous generation. Guido Gozzano famously defined himself as a “thing with two legs also known as guidogozzano”, almost as if he felt ashamed to play the role of an enlightened artist. An affinity existed with the French symbolists (see

Paul Valéry Ambroise Paul Toussaint Jules Valéry (; 30 October 1871 – 20 July 1945) was a French poet, essayist, and philosopher. In addition to his poetry and fiction (drama and dialogues), his interests included aphorisms on art, history, letters, mus ...

Arthur Rimbaud Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud (, ; 20 October 1854 – 10 November 1891) was a French poet known for his transgressive and surreal themes and for his influence on modern literature and arts, prefiguring surrealism. Born in Charleville, he start ...

, and Stéphane Mallarmé). It has been said that Guido Gozzano was the most competent exponent of the movement. The writer Guelfo Civinini is sometimes included as a member of the crepuscolari based on his 1901 work ''L'urna'', but this has been contested by some scholars based on his other body of work.

Period

Crepuscolars were active roughly between 1899, year of the release of ''Cesellature'' by Tito Marrone, and 1911, year that saw the publication of ''Colloqui'' by Guido Gozzano.

References

{{reflist William Rose Benét, ''The Reader's Encyclopedia'', Thomas Y. Crowell. Peter Brand and Lino Pertile, ''The Cambridge History of Italian Literature'', Cambridge University Press. Italian poetry 20th-century Italian literature Italian literary movements

Period

See also

References