The Decline of The World – An Expressionist Theme in Ion Caraion’s Poetry

Abstract

The present article identifies and examines a characteristic theme of German expressionism, the decline of the world, as it is embodied in the poetry of Ion Caraion, an important post-war Romanian poet. The direct literary historical influences are surpassed by striking resemblances of Caraion’s poetic sensibility with that of the major expressionist poets, nurtured firstly by the same anguished climate of the war and secondly by a tormented inner poetical structure. This identity in terms of individualities makes them co-exist as expressionists beyond expressionism.