Reading Baudelaire's Le Spleen de Paris and the Nineteenth-Century Prose Poem

This book explores the practice of reading prose poetry and how it differs from reading poetry in verse. It examines the themes, forms, linguistic qualities, and modes of Baudelaire's poetic prose, highlighting the contradictions and tensions between poetry and prose. Baudelaire's prose poetry creates a poetic space where the boundaries between poetry and prose are blurred, challenging traditional categories and calling for new modes of reading and engagement.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 16 June 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

This book delves into the practice of reading prose poetry, exploring its distinct characteristics and how it differs from reading poetry in verse. Through its analysis of Charles Baudelaire's collection Le Spleen de Paris and other prose poems from the nineteenth century, it examines the themes, forms, linguistic qualities, and modes that shaped the nascent modernity in Baudelaire's poetic prose.

The contradictions present in prose poetry's discourse are also evident in other aspects of Baudelaire's poetic language, extending beyond the discursive realm. These contradictions manifest in the formal considerations of his poems, which retain recognizable traces of verse despite their prose presentation. Additionally, in the visual and auditory elements that contribute to the poeticity of his poems, both in terms of poetic form and thematic content.

By focusing on what makes prose texts poetic, this study sheds light on Baudelaire as a practitioner of the prose poem. It explores how he navigated and complicated the boundaries between verse, prose, and poetry, forging a poetic space where the notions of poetry and prose are recast, juxtaposed in a delicate balance within a shared textual space. This coexistence of poetry and prose, previously considered incompatible, is the underlying tension and framework that contributes significantly to the modernity of Baudelaire's prose poetry.

In turn, this new mode of poetry calls for new modes of reading poetry and new ways of engaging with a text. It challenges traditional assumptions and encourages readers to approach prose poetry with a fresh perspective, appreciating its unique qualities and the complexities it presents. Through its exploration of prose poetry, this book offers a deeper understanding of Baudelaire's literary contributions and its impact on the evolution of poetry in the nineteenth century.

Weight: 666g
Dimension: 240 x 162 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192849908