Definition đź“–
The term “spleenpunk” combines the following two concepts:
- Spleen: in a literary context, especially as used by Baudelaire, it refers to feelings of melancholy, disillusionment, and pessimism. It represents a profound sense of existential despair and weariness with the world.
- -punk: the suffix traditionally connotes rebellion, counterculture, and a challenge to established norms. In the context of literature and media, it’s come to also imply a certain aesthetic or thematic focus.
Now, is it an oxymoron? Not necessarily. While “spleen” suggests a certain passivity or resignation in the face of existential despair, the “-punk” suffix adds an active, rebellious twist to it. Combining the two, “spleenpunk” can be defined as follows:Â
a genre that delves into feelings of melancholy and disillusionment within a countercultural or rebellious context, with characters actively resisting or rebelling while grappling with profound melancholy.Â
At its core, a spleenpunk story recognizes that feelings of despair and hope can coexist, that beauty can be found in desolation, and that rebellion can arise from the deepest wells of melancholy.
Precursors đź“š
The following works could be seen as precursors or inspirations, as they embody the thematic essence of the spleenpunk genre.
- Blade Runner: The film delves into questions of humanity, identity, and the bleakness of a future dominated by corporate interests. The melancholic atmosphere is juxtaposed with characters seeking purpose, identity, and connection.
- Children of Men: The film adaptation especially captures a world in despair due to human infertility. It’s a bleak portrayal of society’s decline, but there’s a spark of rebellion and hope as characters strive to protect a miraculously pregnant woman.
- The Road: A post-apocalyptic novel where a father and son journey through a desolate world. While it’s profoundly melancholic, their relationship and determination to survive lend a semblance of resistance against the bleakness.
- 1984: A dystopian novel about a society under the oppressive rule of a totalitarian regime. The protagonist’s small acts of rebellion against the Party and his inner feelings of despair resonate with the “spleenpunk” concept.
- Neuromancer: Often cited as the seminal cyberpunk novel, it paints a future of high tech and low life, where characters grapple with alienation and a sense of disconnection from reality.
- Baudelaire’s Les Fleurs du mal: While not a speculative work, Baudelaire’s poetry collection delves deeply into themes of melancholy, decay, and existential despair, but often with a tone of defiance or a search for beauty amidst the darkness.