Secularization Of Consciousness And German Expressionist Poetry

Abstract

The article proves that German expressionist poetry was influenced by the secularization of consciousness in the West-European culture. It was reflected not only in the expressionist philosophy but also in the form of poems that often disclosed the methods of contrafactum and grotesque employed. Secularization itself has become a long-term process that originated already at the Age of Renaissance and has continued into our time. Reformation and Protestantism have played crucial role in the history of secularization. A new generation of writers and philosophers came from the families of Protestant pastors. Subsequently, they were destined to change the attitude towards God and man as it was determined by Christian dogmas. Expressionists’ poetry captured one of the important stages in the development of new European spiritual values. They proclaimed the call for a new man who had to arrange a new happy life on earth. This dream has remained an illusion. The reality witnessed the peaceful spiritual revolution turned into bloodshed. The new man in his turn was often exposed to loneliness and urgently needed help and support from above. But God remained mostly silent in the expressionist poems. Silence was interpreted as Godʼs cruelty or fear. The final disaster was looming and people were screaming together with the expressionist poets. 2357-1330 © 2020 Published by European Publisher.