Ideological trend, a movement. Symbolism can be divided into two periods. The early representatives were French poets Baudelaire, Malamey, Vilan and Rambo. Later, the representatives of symbolism were French poet Valery, Austrian poet Rilke, Irish poet Ye Zhi and English poet Eliot. Although the symbolism in the later period comes down in one continuous line with the symbolism in the earlier period, it has absorbed many modernist styles, such as aestheticism, mysticism, imagism and surrealism.
(2) The purpose of symbolism art is to "endow thought with a sensitive form", which is against both romanticism and naturalism. Symbolism holds that real poetry should exclude those elements that preach and imitate objectively, as well as those elements that abuse emotion and are false. It should express an idea through primitive, novel and mysterious symbols. It requires bold and unconventional creation, rather than following the old tradition, and emphasizes intuition, illusion, synaesthesia, symbol, suggestion and musicality in poetry creation.
(3) Symbolism in the later period was more influenced by Malarme, and its creation showed the following three characteristics: first, it emphasized the complexity, suggestibility, mystery and musicality of poetry, and emphasized the dialogue between souls through symbols to realize the dialogue between the known world and the unknown world; Second, creation is becoming more and more secretive and personalized. The poet is like a priest praying in a temple, trying to create some mysterious mystery in his mumbling. Thirdly, it emphasizes the "purity" of form and tries to create a kind of "pure poetry". In the late symbolist poets' view, poetry, as the highest form of artistic creation, completely transcends nature and is the only spiritual way to make human beings transcend natural death.