Baudelaire's Works and Influences



In this course we will study the works of Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867), one of the greatest writers in French literature, and maybe 19th century's newest, richest and deepest poet. First we will place his works in the context of contemporary literary creation, with a brief survey of French poetry at the end of the romantic era, showing how Baudelaire differs from his great predecessors, such as Victor Hugo or Théophile Gautier.



We will then examine the various aspects of Baudelaire's works, looking at themes, forms and ideas —versified poems in Les Fleurs du Mal and prose texts in Le Spleen de Paris. We will also study Baudelaire's rich critical essays, a most important and original part of his creation (if less well-known) and go into some extracts from Fusées and Mon cœur mis à nu, his intimate and unfinished diary.

Finally, we will see how Baudelaire’s influence spread over French poetry long after his death, by going through some texts by Verlaine, Rimbaud, Apollinaire and the Surrealists