Overview
The Flowers of Evil (1857) is a collection of poems by Charles Baudelaire. Translated into English by Cyril Scott in 1909, Baudelaireās poems remain lively and idiosyncratic nearly two centuries after they came into existence. Comprised mostly of sonnets and short lyrics, The Flowers of Evil captures Baudelaireās sense of the changing role of the poet in modern life. Rather than focus on beauty and other ideals, Baudelaire explores the totality of human experienceāthe good, bad, and ugly of life on earth. āWhen by the changeless Power of a Supreme Decree / The poet issues forth upon this sorry sphere, / His mother, horrified, and full of blasphemy, / Uplifts her voice to God, who takes compassion on her.ā In his opening benediction, Baudelaire reverses the typical trope of invoking the muses or celebrating poetry as a divine gift. Instead, he depicts the poet as a being cursed, a āhideous Child of Doom.ā Childhood for Baudelaire is a subject of particular interest, a time described, in his poem āThe Enemy,ā as āa ravaging storm, / Enlivened at times by a brilliant sunā¦ā The youthful experience of melancholy clearly informs the poetās outlook as an adult: āTime devours our lives, / And the enemy black, which consumeth our hearts / On the blood of our bodies, increases and thrives!ā While much of Baudelaireās work deals with darkness and despair, his poems can rise to the heights of celebration and ecstasy, his voice soft and sweet as he invites his sister on a journey to an imagined land of āorder and loveliness, / Luxury, calm and voluptuousness.ā Ultimately, Baudelaireās visionāhowever irreverentāis guided by truth and morality, which drive him on a torturous path from good to evil, beauty to death, and back. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Flowers of Evil is a classic of French literature reimagined for modern readers.
This book title, The Flowers of Evil - 9798888971864, ISBN: 9798888971864, by Charles Baudelaire, Mint Editions, published by Mint Editions (September 28, 2021) is available in hardcover. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
Unlike Amazon and other retailers who may also offer The Flowers of Evil - 9798888971864 books on their website, we specialize in large quantities and provide personal service, from trusted, experienced, friendly people in Portland, Oregon. We offer a Price Match Guarantee, and QuickQuote form, to make purchasing quick and easy.
Prefer to work with a human being when you order The Flowers of Evil - 9798888971864 books in bulk? Our Book Specialists are standing by Monday-Friday 8-5 PST, ready to help!