Nietzsche identifies décadence as a fundamental characteristic of the modern soul, whose "most eloquent prophet" is Richard Wagner. In Nietzsche's 1888 work, The Wagner Case, Nietzsche reveals Wagner's décadence through an examination of his preoccupation with redemption, his use of music to affect the passions, and his relationship with pity. Although his music seems to be bold and life affirming, Nietzsche believes that underneath its Teutonic costume, Wagnerian music suffers from declining life and the will to the end. Given that Nietzsche believes Wagner is the embodiment of modernity, we may be able to examine Nietzsche's understanding of the character of modernity through a study of Nietzsche's criticism of Wagner.
