Charles Baudelaire

The Profile

Charles Baudelaire (born April 9, 1821 in Paris; died August 31, 1867) was a French poet, author of Les Fleurs du Mal (1857). He is a central figure in the origins of Symbolism and Decadence and translated works by Edgar Allan Poe into French.

Born April 9, 1821 in Paris; died August 31, 1867. Author of Les Fleurs du Mal (first published 1857). Les Fleurs du Mal was prosecuted for obscenity at the time of publication and some poems were censored. Baudelaire translated Edgar Allan Poe into French and influenced Symbolist and Decadent movements.

Gasta's review recounts a personal encounter with Les Fleurs du Mal and praises its lasting influence. It summarizes the book's structure and central themes (spleen vs. ideal, city scenes, artificial paradises, revolt, death). The review positions Baudelaire as a founder of modern poetry and notes the book's historical censorship.