Baudelaire, Charles (-Pierre)

Baudelaire, Charles (-Pierre)
born April 9, 1821, Paris, France
died Aug. 31, 1867, Paris

French poet.

While a law student he became addicted to opium and hashish and contracted syphilis. His early reckless spending on fine clothes and furnishings led to a life dogged by debt. In 1844 he formed an association with Jeanne Duval, a woman of mixed black and white ancestry who inspired some of his finest poetry. He published a single novel, La fanfarlo, in 1847. His discovery of the works of Edgar Allan Poe in 1852 led to years of work on Poe, which produced many masterly translations and critical articles. His reputation rests primarily on the extraordinary poetry collection Les fleurs du mal (1857; The Flowers of Evil), which dealt with erotic, aesthetic, and social themes in ways that appalled many of his middle-class readers, and he was accused of obscenity and blasphemy. Though the title became a byword for depravity, the book became perhaps the most influential collection of lyrics published in Europe in the 19th century. His Petits poèmes en prose (1868) was an important and innovative experiment in prose poetry. He also wrote provocative essays in art criticism. Baudelaire's later years were darkened by disillusionment, despair, and mounting debt; his death at 46 resulted from syphilis. He is regarded as the earliest and finest poet of modernism in French.

Baudelaire, photograph by Étienne Carjat, 1863.

Courtesy of the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Baudelaire,Charles Pierre — Baude·laire (bōd lârʹ), Charles Pierre. 1821 1867. French writer, translator, and critic. His only volume of poetry, Les Fleurs du Mal (1857, expanded 1861), was publicly condemned as obscene but exerted an enormous influence over later symbolist …   Universalium

  • Baudelaire, Charles (-Pierre) — (9 abr. 1821, París, Francia–31 ago. 1867, París). Poeta francés. Mientras estudiaba leyes en la universidad, Baudelaire se hizo adicto al opio y al hachís, y contrajo sífilis. Sus gastos exorbitantes en ropa y muebles de la más fina calidad lo… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Baudelaire, Charles (Pierre) —  (1821–1867) French poet …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • Charles-Pierre Baudelaire — Baudelaire (aufgenommen um 1863) Charles Pierre Baudelaire (* 9. April 1821 in Paris; † 31. August 1867 ebenda) war ein französischer Schriftsteller. Er gilt heute als einer der größten französischen Lyriker überhaupt und als einer der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Baudelaire, Charles — ▪ French author Introduction in full  Charles Pierre Baudelaire   born April 9, 1821, Paris, France died August 31, 1867, Paris  French poet, translator, and literary and art critic whose reputation rests primarily on Les Fleurs du mal (1857; The …   Universalium

  • Charles Pierre Baudelaire — noun a French poet noted for macabre imagery and evocative language (1821 1867) • Syn: ↑Baudelaire, ↑Charles Baudelaire • Instance Hypernyms: ↑poet …   Useful english dictionary

  • Charles Baudelaire — Baudelaire redirects here. For other uses, see Baudelaire (disambiguation). Charles Pierre Baudelaire Charles Baudelaire ca. 1863 Born April 9, 1821 Paris, France Died August 31, 1867 …   Wikipedia

  • Baudelaire — (aufgenommen um 1863) Charles Pierre Baudelaire (* 9. April 1821 in Paris; † 31. August 1867 ebenda) war ein französischer Schriftsteller. Er gilt heute als einer der größten französischen Lyriker überhaupt und als einer der wichtigsten… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Charles — Charles, Ray * * * (as used in expressions) Adams, Charles Francis Addams, Charles (Samuel) Atlas, Charles Babbage, Charles Barkley, Charles (Wade) Charles Daly Barnet Bartlett, Sir Frederic C(harles) Baudelaire, Charles (Pierre) Charles Edward… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Charles Baudelaire — « Baudelaire » redirige ici. Pour les autres significations, voir Baudelaire (homonymie). Charles Baudelaire …   Wikipédia en Français

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