Synopsis "Oxford World s Classics Flowers of Evil (Baudelaire) ed 08 "

The Flowers of Evil, which T.S. Eliot called the greatest example of modern poetry in any language, shocked the literary world of nineteenth century France with its outspoken portrayal of lesbian love, its linking of sexuality and death, its unremitting irony, and its unflinching celebration of the seamy side of urban life. Including the French texts and comprehensive explanatory notes to the poems, this extraordinary body of love poems restores the six poems originally banned in 1857, revealing the richness and variety of the collection. About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Charles Baudelaire

(Author)

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(Paris, 1821-1867) He is among the most influential poets of the 19th century, and probably also of the entire history of world literature. Expelled from the Lycée Louis-le-Grand despite obtaining the title of Superior Bachelor, in 1940 he enrolled in the faculty of law. He then began to frequent the Latin Quarter, where he met Gérard de Nerval, Sainte-Beuve, and Balzac, plunging uncontrollably into the world of smoke, opium, and prostitution of the Parisian bohemia. Due to his impious behavior, his family sent him to the South Seas. Upon his return, however, Baudelaire would translate the works of Edgar Allan Poe into French and carry out his most famous works: from the scandalous poetry collection The Flowers of Evil (1857) to the texts of Artificial Paradises (1960) and the posthumous Paris Spleen (1869). Harshly criticized and vilified in life for the scandalous nature of his work and behavior, Baudelaire died syphilitic and impoverished, unaware of the invaluable legacy he had bequeathed to posterity. Champion of symbolism, standard-bearer of romanticism, and precursor of decadentism, his body lies buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery.

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