Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire was a French poet, essayist, critic, and translator whose work spanned both literary and visual art criticism across the nineteenth century.
Born on April 9, 1821, Baudelaire was educated at Lycée Louis-le-Grand and Lycée Saint-Louis. He wrote in French throughout his career and produced work across several forms. His notable works include the poetry collection Les Fleurs du mal and Le Spleen de Paris, a gathering of prose poems. He also produced Les Paradis artificiels and Le Peintre de la vie moderne. Alongside his poetry, he worked as an art critic and literary critic, and also took on translation as part of his output.
Baudelaire died on August 31, 1867, in Paris. His work is associated with the Symbolism movement, a connection that runs across both his poetry and his critical writing.
Quotes by Charles Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire's insights on:
And yet to wine, to opium even, / I prefer the elixir of your lips on which love flaunts itself.
One must work, if not from inclination, at least out of despair. Since it proves, on close examination, that work is less boring than amusing oneself.
This fencing, this clashing of steel, are the uproar Of youth when it becomes a prey to puling love.
Let us beware of common folk, common sense, sentiment, inspiration, and the obvious.
Watteau, carnival where the loves of many famous hearts / Flutter capriciously like butterflies with gaudy wings; / Cool, airy settings where the candelabras' light / Touches with madness the couples whirling in the dance
Exasperated, a drunk that sees things doubled, / I stumbled home, slammed the door, terrified, / sick, depressed, mind feverish and troubled, / wounded by mystery, the absurd, outside! / In vain my reason tried to take command, / its efforts useless in the tempest’s roar, / my soul, a mastless barge, danced, and danced, / over some monstrous sea without a shore!
One should always be drunk. That's all that matters…But with what? With wine, with poetry, or with virtue, as you chose. But get drunk.