weltschmerz
Definition
Noun: A feeling of melancholy, world-weariness, or sentimental sadness about the state of the world; a profound, often pessimistic, sense of grief or apathy arising from the realization of the world's inherent flaws and suffering.
Usage
This is a literary and somewhat philosophical term. It describes a deep, reflective, and often passive sadness about the general condition of the world, rather than a personal sorrow. It is typically used in formal or intellectual contexts.
Examples
- The poet's later works are filled with a deep weltschmerz, lamenting the loss of innocence in modern society.
- After reading the news, he was overcome by a sense of weltschmerz, feeling powerless against global injustices.
- Her weltschmerz was not a personal depression, but a philosophical sorrow for all of humanity.
Advanced Usage
- As a state of mind: The term can describe a persistent, almost existential mood.
- A pervasive weltschmerz characterized the artistic movement of the late Romantic period.
Variants and Related Words
- Weltschmerz is a loanword from German and does not have standard English variants. It is typically used in its original form and is often italicized in writing ().
Synonyms
- World-weariness: Tiredness or boredom with life and the world.
- Melancholy: A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.
- Pessimism: A tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen.
- Angst: A feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically about the human condition or the state of the world.
Antonyms
- Optimism: Hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.
- Cheerfulness: The quality or state of being noticeably happy and optimistic.
- Joie de vivre: (French) Exuberant enjoyment of life.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Fin de siècle melancholy: A phrase describing a similar mood of pessimism and world-weariness associated with the end of a century (particularly the 19th).
- The novel captures the fin de siècle melancholy that parallels the concept of weltschmerz.
Noun
-
sadness on thinking about the evils of the world
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