Weltschmerz
- “sad about the state of the world word”
- “weltschmerz meaning”
- “who coined weltschmerz”
- “world weariness german”
:: COMPARE ::
The short answer
The French cousin, the Byronic malaise of the same generation. Mal du siècle is generational and historical — the sickness of an age. Weltschmerz is metaphysical and personal, and would still hurt in a better century.
Side by side
| Aspect | Weltschmerz | Mal du siècle |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Metaphysical | Generational |
| Cause | The gap itself | This particular era |
| Curable by | Nothing | A better century |
| Self implicated | Yes | Less so |
Which one you meant
Readers who land here meaning Weltschmerz rather than Mal du siècle are usually searching for phrases like “sad about the state of the world word”, “weltschmerz meaning”, “who coined weltschmerz”.
Read either one in full