Weltschmerz
Weltschmerz is the ache of measuring the world as it is against the world as it ought to be — and finding yourself inside the gap.
Full definition of Weltschmerz →:: COMPARE ::
WeltschmerzvsMal du siècle
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 |
What each one means
Mal du siècle
The contrast above sets out how Mal du siècle differs from Weltschmerz on the points that actually matter.