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 📚
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.