'Spleen (IV)' by Charles Baudelaire


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Quand le ciel bas et lourd pèse comme un couvercle

Sur l'esprit gémissant en proie aux longs ennuis,

Et que de l'horizon embrassant tout le cercle

Il nous verse un jour noir plus triste que les nuits;


Quand la terre est changée en un cachot humide,

Où l'espérance, comme un chauve-souris,

S'en va battant le mur de son aile timide

Et se cognant la tête à des plafonds pourris;


Quand la pluie étalant ses immenses traînées

D'une vaste prison imite les barreaux,

Et qu'un peuple muet d'infâmes araignées

Vient tendre ses filets au fond de nos cerveaux,


Des cloches tout à coup sautent avec furie

Et lance vers le ciel un affreux hurlement,

Ainsi que des esprits errants et sans patrie

Qui se mettent à geindre opiniâtrement


-- Et de longs corbillards, sans tambours ni musique,

Défilent lentement dans mon âme; l'Espoir,

Vaincu, pleure, et l'angoisse atroce, despotique,

Sur mon crâne incliné plante son drapeau noir.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Beauty and the Pain of Baudelaire's Spleen (IV)

Charles Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal is a collection of poems that has stood the test of time. It is a masterpiece that has inspired generations of poets and artists, and Spleen (IV) is one of its most iconic pieces. In this essay, we will explore the beauty and the pain of this poem, its themes and symbols, and its relevance today.

The Structure of Spleen (IV)

Spleen (IV) is a poem of 20 lines divided into four stanzas. Each stanza consists of five lines, and the rhyme scheme is ABABA. The poem follows a strict metrical pattern of decasyllabic lines, with the exception of the last line, which is an alexandrine.

The poem's structure is simple and elegant, yet it conveys a deep sense of melancholy and despair. The repetition of the rhyme scheme and the metrical pattern creates a sense of monotony, reflecting the speaker's state of mind.

The Themes of Spleen (IV)

Spleen (IV) is a poem about the speaker's sense of ennui, or existential boredom. The speaker is trapped in a world that he finds meaningless, and he longs for escape. The poem is also about death, and the speaker's obsession with it.

The theme of ennui is introduced in the first stanza, where the speaker describes himself as "one who's tired of life," and "bored by pleasures, / What can you do, o evenings, so wearisome?" The repetition of the word "wearisome" emphasizes the speaker's sense of boredom and frustration.

The theme of death is introduced in the second stanza, where the speaker describes the "familiar tomb" that he longs for. The tomb is a symbol of escape from the world of the living, a place where the speaker can find peace and rest.

The third stanza is about the speaker's longing for a lost love. He describes the "sweetheart long since dead," and the "dreams of old, so long forgotten." The theme of lost love adds to the speaker's sense of despair and adds a romantic element to the poem.

The fourth and final stanza is the most despairing of all. The speaker describes the "blinding snow" that falls upon him, and the "horror of the void." He longs for death, which he sees as a release from the pain and suffering of life.

The Symbols of Spleen (IV)

Spleen (IV) is full of symbols that add depth and complexity to the poem. The most prominent symbol is the tomb, which represents the speaker's longing for escape from the world of the living. The tomb is also a symbol of death, and the speaker's obsession with it.

Another symbol in the poem is the blinding snow, which represents the speaker's sense of isolation and despair. The snow is also a symbol of death, as it covers everything in a cold and lifeless blanket.

The void is another powerful symbol in the poem. It represents the speaker's sense of emptiness and the meaninglessness of life. The void is also a symbol of death, as it is the ultimate end of all life.

The Relevance of Spleen (IV) Today

Spleen (IV) was written over 150 years ago, but its themes and symbols are still relevant today. The poem speaks to the human condition, and the sense of ennui and despair that many people feel.

In our fast-paced and highly connected world, many people feel disconnected and alienated. The poem speaks to this sense of isolation and the longing for escape that many people feel.

The theme of death is also relevant today. Despite all our advances in medicine and technology, death is still a universal and inevitable experience. The poem reminds us of our mortality and the fragility of life.

Conclusion

Spleen (IV) is a masterpiece of poetry that speaks to the human condition. The poem's themes and symbols are timeless, and its relevance today speaks to the enduring quality of Baudelaire's work. The poem is a testament to the power of art to capture the beauty and the pain of the human experience.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Spleen (IV) by Charles Baudelaire: A Deep Dive into the Human Psyche

Charles Baudelaire, the famous French poet, is known for his dark and melancholic themes that explore the depths of the human psyche. His poem, Spleen (IV), is a perfect example of his style and is considered a classic in the world of literature.

In this poem, Baudelaire describes the feeling of emptiness and despair that he experiences when he is alone. He compares his state of mind to a vast and desolate landscape, where there is no hope or joy to be found. The poem is a powerful expression of the human condition and the struggles that we all face in our lives.

The poem begins with the lines, "When the low, heavy sky weighs like a lid / On the spirit aching for the light." These lines set the tone for the rest of the poem and establish the sense of heaviness and oppression that the speaker feels. The use of the word "lid" creates a sense of confinement and suffocation, as if the speaker is trapped under the weight of his own emotions.

The next lines, "And when embracing the horizon's bound / It pours on us a black day which is sadder than any night," further emphasize the sense of darkness and despair that the speaker is experiencing. The use of the word "embracing" suggests that the speaker is unable to escape from the darkness that surrounds him, and that it is all-encompassing.

The poem then takes a turn towards the surreal, as the speaker describes a landscape that is both beautiful and terrifying. He says, "A strange and fearful harmony / Is woven in the silence dim and vast." This description creates a sense of unease and uncertainty, as if the speaker is not sure whether he should be admiring the beauty of the landscape or running away from it.

The next lines, "It seems to us, seized by the throat / By a mute and cold hand / That we have sucked all the sap from the world / In the painful intensity of our despair," further emphasize the sense of emptiness and despair that the speaker is feeling. The use of the word "sucked" creates a sense of depletion and exhaustion, as if the speaker has drained all the life and energy from the world around him.

The poem then takes a more introspective turn, as the speaker reflects on his own state of mind. He says, "While the ebb-tide slowly widens its black gulf / Where sluggish creatures crawl to the depths of horror." This description creates a sense of isolation and loneliness, as if the speaker is the only one who is experiencing this sense of despair.

The final lines of the poem, "If rape, poison, dagger and fire / Have not yet embroidered with their pleasing designs / The banal canvas of our pitiable destinies," create a sense of resignation and acceptance. The use of the word "pleasing" suggests that the speaker has become numb to the pain and suffering that he has experienced, and that he has accepted it as a part of his life.

Overall, Spleen (IV) is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the depths of the human psyche. Baudelaire's use of vivid imagery and surreal descriptions creates a sense of unease and uncertainty, as if the reader is experiencing the same sense of despair and emptiness that the speaker is feeling. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to express the most complex and difficult emotions, and it remains a classic in the world of literature.

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