Decline and Fall | Literary Precedents

Decline and Fall Literary Precedents

The bold, unconventional humor of Decline and Fall is certainly indebted to the work of such late-Victorian figures as Oscar Wilde and Max Beerbohm, who were instrumental in playfully and irreverently breaking down the overbearing moral earnestness of the Victorian tradition. The satiric outrageousness of its dialogue and portrayal of character reflects the influence of Ronald Firbank, whose novels combined solid literary craftsmanship with a willingness to explore the more extreme aspects of modern sensibilities.

In a 1929 essay, "Ronald Firbank," Waugh paid explicit tribute to his ability to alternate "the wildest extravagance and the most austere economy," a phrase which will also do as a description of Decline and Fall's effective combination of satire and seriousness.