Charles Baudelaire: A Study

Symons, Arthur, 1865-1945Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.9

Word count: 188K words
Chapters: 19

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Charles Baudelaire: A Study by Arthur SymonsAuthor: Symons, Arthur, 1865-1945,Language: English, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Nov 19, 2015

Editor's review

This is Arthur Symons's study of Baudelaire, a public-domain ebook. Symons was himself an English poet and critic, and his critical-biographical writing seeks to understand the poet within the atmosphere and spiritual condition of his age rather than offering close readings poem by poem. For Chinese readers, the value of this book lies in the image of Baudelaire seen through the eyes of a late-nineteenth-century English critic: it discusses both the temper of his work and his personality in relation to his era, and can be read alongside Baudelaire's own poems and prose for a two-track reading of "work plus critical biography." Note that this is a study bearing the marks of its time, and its views and wording belong to the critical tradition of the period; it should not be taken as today's settled conclusion. The English public-domain ebook also lacks detailed notes, making it suitable for readers with some background who wish to learn about early Baudelaire criticism.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have read Baudelaire's works and want an early critical perspective
Literature students interested in late-nineteenth-century English criticism
Enthusiasts who need biographical-critical material to aid their understanding of Baudelaire
Readers with some English reading ability who enjoy the genre of writer studies

Not a good fit for

Readers new to Baudelaire who need a systematic introductory guide
Researchers seeking contemporary scholarly consensus and detailed annotations
General readers who find English difficult and need a Chinese translation

Reading tips

Read a few of Baudelaire's representative works first, then read this book, using impressions of specific works to understand the critical views.
While reading, note which of Symons's judgments belong to the limitations of his age, and compare them with contemporary criticism.
Treat this book as "material for the history of criticism" rather than an introductory guide, focusing on how the critic describes the poet's image.
If the English is difficult, first consult a Chinese translation or related Chinese research articles to grasp the gist before returning to the original.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a work by Baudelaire?

No. It is a study of Baudelaire written by Arthur Symons, a critical text of a biographical-critical nature that discusses Baudelaire the man and his work, not a collection of Baudelaire's own poems and prose.

Is it suitable as an introductory book on Baudelaire?

Not very. This book is a critical study bearing the marks of its time and assumes some familiarity with Baudelaire. Those new to him should first read a selected works of Baudelaire or a Chinese translation with an introduction, then come to this early study.

Are the views in the book still applicable today?

They should be regarded as material for the history of criticism. Symons's writing reflects the critical tastes and wording habits of the late nineteenth century; his descriptions of the poet's personality and era have reference value, but should not be taken as contemporary scholarly consensus, and are best read in comparison with modern research.

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About the author

Symons, Arthur, 1865-1945 Author

Arthur Symons (1865–1945) was an English poet, literary critic and essayist. Eight of his works are included here, spanning poetry, art criticism and literary study. He is best known for The Symbolist Movement in Literature, which introduced the French Symbolist poets to English-speaking readers and had a significant influence on the understanding of Symbolism in the English-speaking world. His other works include a study of Charles Baudelaire, The Art of Aubrey Beardsley, the poetry collection Silhouettes, and the theoretical volume Plays, Acting and Music. His writing combines critical clarity with a poet's sensitivity, often focusing on fin-de-siècle literature and visual art. Because public information is limited, his detailed biography is not elaborated here.