Table of Contents
1. Spleen (LXXVI)
I have more memories than if I were a thousand years old.
A big piece of furniture, a chest of drawers cluttered with balance sheets, with verses,
love-letters, lawsuits, ballads, with heavy locks of hair rolled up in receipted bills, hides
fewer secrets than my wretched brain. It is a pyramid, an enormous burial vault that holds
more dead than the paupers’ field.
I am a graveyard shunned by the moon, where, like fits
of remorse, long worms slither and always choose to feed on my dearest dead. I am an old
boudoir full of withered roses, where lie disorderly heaps of out-of-date fashions, where the
plaintive pastels and faded Bouchers alone breathe in the odour of an unstoppered scent
bottle.
Nothing equals the length of the limping days, when, under the heavy flakes of the
snowy years, tedium, born of dull incuriosity, takes on the proportions of immortality. Now
you are no longer, o living matter, anything but a block of granite surrounded by a
formless fear, lying torpid in the furthest reaches of a misty Sahara; an old sphinx
unregarded by the careless world, forgotten on the map, and whose unsociable whim it is
to sing only to the rays of the setting sun.
Analysis of the poem “Spleen” by Charles Baudelaire:
Charles Baudelaire’s poem “Spleen” is a powerful expression of the darker aspects of the human experience. The poem is structured in two stanzas, each of which comprises eight lines. The poem’s title, “Spleen,” refers to a condition of melancholy or depression, and this theme is evident throughout the poem.
In the first stanza, the speaker describes their mind as a cluttered chest of drawers full of various items, including balance sheets, love letters, lawsuits, ballads, and locks of hair. This metaphor suggests that the speaker’s thoughts and memories are overwhelming and perhaps even burdensome. The use of the phrase “wretched brain” reinforces this idea, suggesting that the speaker is unhappy with the state of their mind.
The metaphor of the chest of drawers continues throughout the stanza, with the speaker describing it as holding more secrets than any physical object could. The comparison to a pyramid and a burial vault reinforces the idea that the speaker’s mind is a repository of dead or forgotten things. The use of the phrase “paupers’ field” suggests that these forgotten things are not valuable or important. Instead, they are the detritus of the speaker’s life.
In the second stanza, the theme of decay and stagnation continues, with the speaker describing themselves as a “block of granite” lying “torpid” in a “misty Sahara.” The metaphor of the “old sphinx” that sings only to the setting sun reinforces the speaker’s sense of isolation and loneliness. The use of the word “limping” to describe the days suggests that time is passing slowly and painfully for the speaker.
The final line of the poem, “where the plaintive pastels and faded Bouchers alone breathe in the odour of an unstoppered scent bottle,” reinforces the theme of decay and the passage of time. The mention of the “faded Bouchers” is a reference to the Rococo painter François Boucher, whose work often depicted scenes of romance and love. The mention of the “unstoppered scent bottle” suggests that the memories and emotions associated with these scenes have been released and are now fading away.
Overall, “Spleen” is a powerful expression of the darker aspects of the human experience. Baudelaire’s use of metaphor and imagery effectively conveys the speaker’s sense of isolation, decay, and despair. The poem reflects Baudelaire’s belief that beauty can be found in the darker aspects of life and that the human experience is often characterized by pain and suffering.
In terms of form, the poem is structured as a series of images and metaphors that build on one another to create a sense of the speaker’s inner world. The use of repetition, particularly in the phrases “I am” and “where,” reinforces the idea that the speaker is trapped in their own thoughts and experiences.
Finally, it is worth noting that “Spleen” is just one of many poems in Baudelaire’s collection “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil), which was initially banned for its controversial and subversive content. Despite this, Baudelaire’s work has had a lasting impact on French literature and remains widely read and studied today.
2. Spleen (LXXVIII)
When the low, heavy sky weighs like a lid on the spirit as it groans in the grip of long
tedium, and when, filling the whole circle of the horizon, it pours out upon us a black
daylight more gloomy than nights; When the earth is changed to a damp dungeon where
Hope, like a bat, flies about beating its timid wings against the walls and bumping its head
on rotten ceilings;
When the rain, dragging out its immense, oblique lines, mimics the bars of a vast prison,
and a silent tribe of filthy spiders comes to spin its webs in the depths of our brains; Bells
suddenly leap furiously to life and set up a ghastly howling to heaven, like wandering,
homeless spirits beginning to moan unstoppably.
– And long funeral processions, without drums or music, file past slowly in my soul;
Hope, defeated, weeps, and cruel, despotic anguish plants its black flag in my bowed skull.
Analysis of the poem “Spleen” (LXXVIII)
Charles Baudelaire’s poem “Spleen” (LXXVIII) is a vivid and powerful expression of the darker aspects of the human experience. The poem is structured as a single stanza, with each line building on the sense of despair and isolation conveyed by the previous one.
The poem begins with a description of a heavy, oppressive sky that seems to weigh down on the spirit. The use of the word “lid” suggests a sense of confinement and suffocation, as if the speaker’s thoughts and emotions are trapped beneath this weight. The description of the sky pouring out a “black daylight” that is more gloomy than night reinforces the sense of despair and hopelessness.
The metaphor of the earth as a damp dungeon adds to the sense of confinement and imprisonment. The mention of “Hope, like a bat,” reinforces the idea that hope is fragile and easily crushed. The use of the word “timid” suggests that hope is hesitant and fearful in the face of the oppressive atmosphere.
The description of the rain mimicking the bars of a prison adds to the sense of confinement and entrapment. The mention of spiders spinning their webs in the depths of the speaker’s brain reinforces the idea that the mind is a dark and foreboding place, filled with negative thoughts and emotions.
The sudden appearance of bells that howl to heaven adds to the sense of despair and isolation, as if the speaker is alone in a world that is indifferent to their suffering. The mention of funeral processions without drums or music reinforces the idea that the speaker is isolated and alone in their grief.
The final two lines of the poem are particularly powerful, with the defeat of hope and the planting of “cruel, despotic anguish” in the speaker’s skull. The use of the word “bowed” suggests that the speaker is defeated and submissive in the face of this anguish.
Overall, “Spleen” (LXXVIII) is a powerful expression of the darker aspects of the human experience, including despair, isolation, and grief. Baudelaire’s use of vivid and evocative language effectively conveys the sense of confinement and entrapment that the speaker feels. The poem is a reminder of the fragility of hope and the power of negative emotions to overwhelm us.
In terms of form, the poem is structured as a series of images and metaphors that build on one another to create a sense of the speaker’s inner world. The use of repetition, particularly in the phrases “when” and “and,” reinforces the idea that the speaker is trapped in this dark and foreboding world.
Finally, it is worth noting that “Spleen” (LXXVIII) is just one of many poems in Baudelaire’s collection “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil), which was initially banned for its controversial and subversive content. Despite this, Baudelaire’s work has had a lasting impact on French literature and remains widely read and studied today.
3. Correspondences
Nature’s a temple where the pilasters
Speak sometimes in their mystic languages;
Man reaches it through symbols dense as trees,
That watch him with a gaze familiar.
As far-off echoes from a distance sound
In unity profound and recondite,
Boundless as night itself and as the light,
Sounds, fragrances and colours correspond.
Some perfumes are, like children, innocent,
As sweet as oboes, green as meadow sward,
And others, complex, rich and jubilant,
The vastness of infinity afford,
Like musk and amber, incense, bergamot,
Which sing the senses’ and the soul’s delight.
Analysis of the poem
“Correspondences” is a poem by French poet Charles Baudelaire, first published in his collection “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil) in 1857. The poem explores the relationship between nature and humanity, particularly through the use of symbols and sensory experiences.
The poem begins with the idea that nature is like a temple, with pillars that speak in mystical languages. This metaphor suggests that nature is not just a physical entity, but also a spiritual and mysterious one. The pillars are not just structural elements, but also beings that communicate with us in a language that is beyond our understanding.
Baudelaire then suggests that humans can access this temple of nature through symbols. These symbols are described as being as dense as trees, which watch over us with a gaze that is familiar. This suggests that there is a connection between humans and nature, and that we can understand the language of nature through symbols that we create and use.
The poem then goes on to describe how different sensory experiences – sounds, fragrances, and colors – correspond to each other in a profound and mysterious way. Baudelaire suggests that these correspondences are like echoes that sound in unity profound and recondite, boundless as night itself and as the light. This suggests that there is a deep and intricate connection between all things in nature, and that this connection is complex and difficult to fully understand.
Baudelaire then gives examples of these correspondences, particularly through the sense of smell. Some perfumes, he suggests, are innocent and sweet, like the sound of oboes or the green of a meadow. These perfumes are like children, and their innocence suggests a purity and simplicity that is pleasing to the senses. Others, however, are more complex and rich, like musk and amber. These perfumes seem to offer a glimpse into the vastness of infinity, and suggest a deep and mysterious connection between nature and humanity.
Overall, “Correspondences” suggests that there is a deep and intricate connection between humanity and the natural world. This connection can be felt through our senses and through the symbols that we use to understand it. The poem suggests that nature is not just a physical entity, but also a spiritual and mysterious one, and that through symbols and sensory experiences, we can begin to understand and appreciate its mysteries.
4. The Albatross by Charles Baudelaire
Often, for fun, crewmen catch albatrosses,
huge seabirds, easy-moving travelling companions
who follow the ship as it glides over the briny depths.
No sooner have they set them down on the deck,
than the kings of the sky, clumsy and ashamed,
drop their great white wings and let them drag piteously after them like oars.
See the winged voyager, how clumsy and feeble he is!
So beautiful a moment ago, now so comical and ugly!
One of them teases his beak with an old pipe,
another, limping, mimics the cripple who once could fly.
The Poet is like the prince of the clouds,
who haunts the tempest and laughs at the archer.
Exiled on the ground in the midst of the jeering crowd,
his giant’s wings keep him from walking.
Analysis of the poem
“The Albatross” is a poem by French poet Charles Baudelaire, first published in his collection “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil) in 1857. The poem uses the image of an albatross, a large seabird, to comment on the relationship between the poet and society.
The poem begins by describing how crewmen catch albatrosses for fun, and how these majestic birds become clumsy and ashamed when placed on the deck of a ship. The once graceful and beautiful birds become comical and ugly, as they struggle to move on land. Some of the crewmen even tease and mock them.
Baudelaire then compares the albatross to the poet, who is like the prince of the clouds, haunts the tempest, and laughs at the archer. This suggests that the poet is someone who has a unique perspective on the world, and who is not bound by the constraints of society. The poet is seen as someone who is free to explore the world and its mysteries, and who is not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom.
However, the poet is also exiled on the ground, in the midst of a jeering crowd, and his giant’s wings keep him from walking. This suggests that the poet is not fully accepted by society, and that his unique perspective is often met with ridicule and rejection. Despite the poet’s freedom and creativity, he is still bound by the limitations of society, and is often seen as an outsider.
Overall, “The Albatross” suggests that the poet is someone who is both admired and rejected by society. The poet’s unique perspective on the world is often seen as valuable and insightful, but it also makes him an outsider who is not fully accepted by society. The image of the albatross, once graceful and majestic in the sky, but clumsy and ashamed on land, serves as a metaphor for the poet’s relationship with society. The poem suggests that while the poet may be able to soar to great heights, he is still bound by the limitations of the world below, and must often struggle to be understood and accepted.
5. The Cat
Come, my dear cat, here on my lovesick heart;
hold in your claws, and let me plunge into
your beautiful eyes with their mixture of metal and agate.
When my fingers are slowly stroking your head and your supple back,
and my hand is becoming intoxicated with the pleasure of touching your electric body,
I see my woman in my mind’s eye.
Her look, like yours, delightful creature, is deep and cold, and cuts and splits like a blade,
And, from her feet to her head, a subtle air, a dangerous perfume float
around her brown body.
Analysis of the poem
“The Cat” is a poem by French poet Charles Baudelaire, first published in his collection “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil) in 1857. The poem explores the sensuality and mystery of the cat, using it as a metaphor for desire.
The poem begins with an invitation to the cat to come and sit on the poet’s heart, and to allow him to gaze into its beautiful eyes, which are described as a mixture of metal and agate. The cat is seen as a creature of great beauty and mystery, and the poet is drawn to its electric body and its ability to intoxicate him with pleasure.
As the poet strokes the cat’s head and back, he sees his woman in his mind’s eye. Her look, like the cat’s, is deep and cold, and cuts and splits like a blade. This suggests that the woman is also a creature of mystery and danger, and that the poet is attracted to her because of her complexity and her ability to arouse both pleasure and pain.
The poem suggests that the cat represents not just the physical beauty of the woman, but also her sensuality and mystery. The cat’s electric body and its ability to intoxicate the poet with pleasure is a metaphor for the woman’s ability to arouse desire and longing in the poet. The cat’s eyes, a mixture of metal and agate, suggest that the woman’s beauty is not just physical, but also spiritual and mysterious.
The poem ends with a description of the woman’s subtle air and dangerous perfume, which float around her brown body. This suggests that the woman is not just a physical entity, but also a sensual and mysterious being, who is able to arouse desire and longing in the poet. The cat serves as a metaphor for the woman’s mysterious and sensual nature, and the poem suggests that the poet is drawn to her because of this complexity and danger.
Overall, “The Cat” is a sensual and mysterious poem that explores the relationship between desire and mystery. The cat is used as a metaphor for the woman, and both are seen as creatures of great beauty and danger, who are able to arouse pleasure and pain in the poet. The poem suggests that the poet is drawn to the woman not just because of her physical beauty, but also because of her mysterious and sensual nature, which is represented by the cat.
6. The Living Torch / The living flame
They walk before me, those light-filled eyes,
which a very wise Angel magnetized, no doubt;
they walk, those divine brothers who are my brothers,
shaking into my eyes their glittering fires.
Saving me from all snares and all grave sins,
they lead my steps in the path of the Beautiful;
they are my servants and I am their slave;
all my being obeys this living torch.
Enchanting Eyes, you shine with the mystical brightness
of candles burning in daylight;
the sun reddens, but cannot extinguish their eerie flame;
They celebrate Death, you sing of Awakening;
you go forth hymning the awakening of my soul,
stars whose flame no sun can wither.
Analysis of the poem
“The Living Torch” is a poem by French poet Charles Baudelaire, first published in his collection “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil) in 1857. The poem describes the speaker’s fascination with a pair of light-filled eyes, which he sees as divine and mystical.
The poem begins with the speaker describing the eyes as being filled with light, and being magnetized by a wise angel. The eyes are seen as divine brothers who are leading the speaker in the path of the Beautiful, and saving him from snares and grave sins. The speaker sees himself as the servant of these eyes, and describes himself as being their slave.
The poem suggests that the eyes are a symbol of divine knowledge, which can guide the speaker in the path of enlightenment. The speaker is enchanted by the mystical brightness of these eyes, which shine like candles burning in daylight. The light of these eyes is described as eerie and otherworldly, and is contrasted with the sun, which cannot extinguish their light. This suggests that the eyes represent a spiritual enlightenment that transcends the physical world and its limitations.
The poem ends with the speaker describing the eyes as celebrating death and singing of awakening. The eyes are seen as stars, whose flame cannot be withered by the sun. This further emphasizes the idea that the eyes represent a spiritual enlightenment that transcends the physical world and its limitations.
Overall, “The Living Torch” is a mystical and spiritual poem that explores the theme of enlightenment. The eyes are seen as a symbol of divine knowledge, which can guide the speaker in the path of the Beautiful and save him from sin. The poem suggests that the speaker is enchanted by the mystical brightness of these eyes, and sees himself as being their servant and slave. The eyes are described as a living torch, which illuminates the speaker’s path and guides him towards spiritual awakening. The poem suggests that the spiritual enlightenment represented by the eyes is a transcendental experience that can overcome even the limitations of physical existence.
7. To a Creole Lady
In scented countries by the sun caressed
I’ve known, beneath a tent of purple boughs,
And palmtrees shedding slumber as they drowse,
A creole lady with a charm unguessed.
She’s pale, and warm, and duskily beguiling;
Nobility is moulded in her neck;
Slender and tall she holds herself in check,
An huntress born, sure-eyed, and quiet-smiling.
Should you go, Madam, to the land of glory
Along the Seine or Loire, where you would merit
To ornament some mansion famed in story,
Your eyes would bum in those deep-shaded parts,
And breed a thousand rhymes in poets’ hearts,
Tamed like the negro slaves that you inherit.
Analysis of the poem
“To a Creol Lady” is a poem by French poet Charles Baudelaire, first published in his collection “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil) in 1857. The poem describes the speaker’s admiration for a Creole lady he has met in a scented, tropical country.
The poem begins with the speaker describing the Creole lady as having a charm that is unguessed. The use of the word “unguessed” suggests that her beauty and allure are mysterious and indefinable. She is described as pale, warm, and beguiling, with nobility molded into her neck. The speaker sees her as a huntress, tall and slender, with a sure-eyed and quiet-smiling demeanor. This description creates an image of a woman who is both powerful and seductive, and who commands attention and respect.
The middle stanza of the poem is addressed directly to the Creole lady. The speaker imagines her traveling to France and becoming a great ornament to a famous mansion along the Seine or Loire rivers. He suggests that her eyes would burn in the deep-shaded parts of these areas, inspiring a thousand rhymes in the hearts of poets. This image of the Creole lady as a muse for poets and artists suggests that her beauty is timeless and universal, and that it transcends the boundaries of race and culture.
However, the poem also acknowledges the lady’s inheritance of negro slaves, which suggests a complex history of colonialism and exploitation. The use of the word “inherit” suggests that the lady’s social status and wealth are built on the labor of others, and that this legacy of slavery is a part of her identity and history.
Overall, “To a Creol Lady” is a poem that celebrates the beauty and mystery of the Creole lady, while also acknowledging the complex social and historical context in which she exists. The poem suggests that the lady’s beauty is timeless and universal, and that it would inspire poets and artists anywhere she goes. However, the poem also acknowledges the lady’s inheritance of slaves, and the legacy of colonialism that has shaped her world. In this way, the poem is a commentary on the intersection of beauty, power, and history in the complex social landscape of the 19th century.
8. The Ghost
Like angels with wild beast’s eyes
I shall return to your bedroom
And silently glide toward you
With the shadows of the night;
And, dark beauty, I shall give you
Kisses cold as the moon
And the caresses of a snake
That crawls around a grave.
When the livid morning comes,
You’ll find my place empty,
And it will be cold there till night.
I wish to hold sway over
Your life and youth by fear,
As others do by tenderness.
Analysis of the poem
“The Ghost” is a poem by French poet Charles Baudelaire, first published in his collection “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil) in 1857. The poem describes the speaker’s desire to return to the bedroom of a dark beauty as a ghost and give her cold kisses and snake-like caresses. The poem explores themes of seduction, violence, and power.
The poem begins with the speaker describing himself as an angel with wild beast’s eyes. This description creates an image of a creature that is both beautiful and dangerous, and suggests that the speaker is capable of both great beauty and great violence. The speaker then describes his desire to return to the bedroom of a dark beauty and silently glide toward her with the shadows of the night. This creates an eerie and haunting image of a ghostly presence that is both sensual and terrifying.
The middle stanza of the poem describes the speaker’s desire to give the dark beauty cold kisses like the moon and snake-like caresses. This description creates an image of a ghostly presence that is both seductive and terrifying. The use of the snake as a metaphor for the speaker’s caresses suggests that the speaker is capable of inflicting pain and causing harm. This creates a sense of danger and violence that is at odds with the romanticized idea of a ghostly presence.
The final stanza of the poem describes the speaker’s desire to hold sway over the dark beauty’s life and youth by fear, rather than tenderness. This suggests that the speaker sees fear as a more powerful tool for controlling others than love or affection. The poem ends with the speaker describing how the dark beauty will find his place empty when the morning comes, and how it will remain cold until night. This creates a sense of emptiness and abandonment, as well as a feeling of the speaker’s ephemeral and ghostly nature.
Overall, “The Ghost” is a poem that explores the darker side of desire and power. The speaker’s desire to return to the bedroom of the dark beauty as a ghost suggests a desire for control and domination, while the descriptions of cold kisses and snake-like caresses create an image of a presence that is both seductive and terrifying. The poem suggests that fear can be a more powerful tool for controlling others than love or tenderness, and that the speaker sees himself as a powerful, ghostly presence that can hold sway over the dark beauty’s life and youth. The poem creates a haunting and eerie atmosphere, and raises questions about the nature of desire, power, and control in relationships.
9. Joyful Death
In a rich, heavy soil, infested with snails,
I wish to dig my own grave, wide and deep,
Where I can at leisure stretch out my old bones
And sleep in oblivion like a shark in the wave.
I have a hatred for testaments and for tombs;
Rather than implore a tear of the world,
I’d sooner, while alive, invite the crows
To drain the blood from my filthy carcass.
O worms! black companions with neither eyes nor ears,
See a dead man, joyous and free, approaching you;
Wanton philosophers, children of putrescence,
Go through my ruin then, without remorse,
And tell me if there still remains any torture
For this old soulless body, dead among the dead!
Analysis of the poem
“Joyful Death” is a poem by French poet Charles Baudelaire, first published in his collection “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil) in 1857. The poem describes the speaker’s desire to die and be buried in a deep, wide grave without any tombs or testaments. The poem explores themes of death, decay, and the individual’s place in the natural world.
The poem begins with the speaker describing his desire to dig his own grave in a rich, heavy soil infested with snails. He wants to sleep in oblivion like a shark in the wave, suggesting a desire for a peaceful and natural death. This image of the speaker being at one with the natural world creates a sense of harmony between the speaker and his environment.
In the second stanza, the speaker expresses a hatred for tombs and testaments. He prefers to invite the crows to drain the blood from his filthy carcass while he is still alive. This creates an image of a speaker who has lost all desire for life and is ready to embrace death. The use of the word “filthy” suggests that the speaker sees his own body as no longer of value and is ready to discard it.
In the middle stanza of the poem, the speaker addresses the worms, describing them as black companions with neither eyes nor ears. He invites them to go through his ruin without remorse and tell him if there still remains any torture for his old, soulless body that is dead among the dead. This creates an image of a speaker who is curious about the nature of death and decay, and who is willing to embrace his own mortality.
Overall, “Joyful Death” is a poem that celebrates the speaker’s desire for a peaceful and natural death. The poem suggests that the speaker has come to terms with the inevitability of death and is ready to embrace it without fear or regret. The use of natural imagery, such as the soil, snails, and sharks, creates a sense of harmony between the speaker and the natural world. The poem also reflects Baudelaire’s fascination with death and decay, which is a recurring theme in his poetry. In this way, the poem raises questions about the nature of life and death, and the role of the individual in the larger scheme of things.
