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Baudelaire
Este estudio de Sartre sobre Baudelaire es uno de los logros más brillantes frente a la crítica moderna. A menudo pueden estar en desacuerdo con su interpretación de la personalidad del poeta, pero no podemos dejar de admirar la maestría con la que presenta su caso. Es el caso, muy evidentemente, de un existencialista que desee psicoanalizar una figura literaria primordial en términos de sus propias creencias. Quizá la mayor contribución al existencialismo de Sartre ha sido su propia personalidad.
172 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1947
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About the author
Jean-Paul Sartre
1,094 books12.9k followersJean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic, considered a leading figure in 20th-century French philosophy and Marxism. Sartre was one of the key figures in the philosophy of existentialism (and phenomenology). His work has influenced sociology, critical theory, post-colonial theory, and literary studies. He was awarded the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature despite attempting to refuse it, saying that he always declined official honors and that "a writer should not allow himself to be turned into an institution."
Sartre held an open relationship with prominent feminist and fellow existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir. Together, Sartre and de Beauvoir challenged the cultural and social assumptions and expectations of their upbringings, which they considered bourgeois, in both lifestyles and thought. The conflict between oppressive, spiritually destructive conformity (mauvaise foi, literally, 'bad faith') and an "authentic" way of "being" became the dominant theme of Sartre's early work, a theme embodied in his principal philosophical work Being and Nothingness (L'Être et le Néant, 1943). Sartre's introduction to his philosophy is his work Existentialism Is a Humanism (L'existentialisme est un humanisme, 1946), originally presented as a lecture.
Sartre held an open relationship with prominent feminist and fellow existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir. Together, Sartre and de Beauvoir challenged the cultural and social assumptions and expectations of their upbringings, which they considered bourgeois, in both lifestyles and thought. The conflict between oppressive, spiritually destructive conformity (mauvaise foi, literally, 'bad faith') and an "authentic" way of "being" became the dominant theme of Sartre's early work, a theme embodied in his principal philosophical work Being and Nothingness (L'Être et le Néant, 1943). Sartre's introduction to his philosophy is his work Existentialism Is a Humanism (L'existentialisme est un humanisme, 1946), originally presented as a lecture.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 24, 2023
SOLITUDINE
Baudelaire fotografato dal celebre fotografo Nadar nel 1855 a 34 anni.
Baudelaire m’è stato amico e fratello sin dal principio delle mie letture adolescenziali, negli anni del liceo, quando in questi libri cercavo una prospettiva diversa da quella che mi veniva proposta a scuola. Era una mia forma di ribellione leggere quello di cui mai e poi ci avrebbero parlato in classe. Come fossero letture proibite.
Sartre invece l’ho davvero avvicinato qualche anno dopo con La nausea e Il muro. A quel punto ero già negli anni universitari.
Roquentin, il protagonista di La nausea è un biografo che rinuncia a portare a termine il suo lavoro. Invece, Sartre qui, già nel 1946, dimostra che quella del biografo è attività che gli si addice.
Gustave Courbet: Ritratto di Charles Baudelaire. 1849
Nessuna meraviglia che l’approccio sartriano sia alla luce della sua filosofia esistenzialista, e che il suo sguardo sia soprattutto sull’esistenza del poeta ‘maudit’ più che sull’opera.
Orfano di padre, Charles si lega alla madre in modo viscerale: quando lei si risposa, il futuro poeta si sente profondamente tradito. E sviluppa quella piaga chiamata solitudine, che affliggerà la sua intera esistenza.
Solitudine che Baudelaire sceglie, come moto d’orgoglio, s’impone prima che sia il mondo a farlo. Prima di essere abbandonato dal mondo, decide di non appartenergli.
Io sono un altro. Distinto da voi tutti che mi fate soffrire.
È scritto in quel testo meraviglioso che Baudelaire ci ha regalato, Il mio cuore messo a nudo.
Ancora Baudelaire visto da Felix Nadar
Su questo tema è focalizzata l’attenzione di Sartre che ne fa l’ossatura del suo saggio biografico. Giungendo alla triste (e riduttiva) conclusione che il poeta si è preso troppo sul serio, non ha mai imparato a sorridere di sé, ha sempre evitato di mischiarsi con e agli altri, finendo col vivere una vita anchilosata.
Baudelaire fotografato dal celebre fotografo Nadar nel 1855 a 34 anni.
Baudelaire m’è stato amico e fratello sin dal principio delle mie letture adolescenziali, negli anni del liceo, quando in questi libri cercavo una prospettiva diversa da quella che mi veniva proposta a scuola. Era una mia forma di ribellione leggere quello di cui mai e poi ci avrebbero parlato in classe. Come fossero letture proibite.
Sartre invece l’ho davvero avvicinato qualche anno dopo con La nausea e Il muro. A quel punto ero già negli anni universitari.
Roquentin, il protagonista di La nausea è un biografo che rinuncia a portare a termine il suo lavoro. Invece, Sartre qui, già nel 1946, dimostra che quella del biografo è attività che gli si addice.
Gustave Courbet: Ritratto di Charles Baudelaire. 1849
Nessuna meraviglia che l’approccio sartriano sia alla luce della sua filosofia esistenzialista, e che il suo sguardo sia soprattutto sull’esistenza del poeta ‘maudit’ più che sull’opera.
Orfano di padre, Charles si lega alla madre in modo viscerale: quando lei si risposa, il futuro poeta si sente profondamente tradito. E sviluppa quella piaga chiamata solitudine, che affliggerà la sua intera esistenza.
Solitudine che Baudelaire sceglie, come moto d’orgoglio, s’impone prima che sia il mondo a farlo. Prima di essere abbandonato dal mondo, decide di non appartenergli.
Io sono un altro. Distinto da voi tutti che mi fate soffrire.
È scritto in quel testo meraviglioso che Baudelaire ci ha regalato, Il mio cuore messo a nudo.
Ancora Baudelaire visto da Felix Nadar
Su questo tema è focalizzata l’attenzione di Sartre che ne fa l’ossatura del suo saggio biografico. Giungendo alla triste (e riduttiva) conclusione che il poeta si è preso troppo sul serio, non ha mai imparato a sorridere di sé, ha sempre evitato di mischiarsi con e agli altri, finendo col vivere una vita anchilosata.
January 16, 2018
As expected, Sartre makes a lot of great points on life, personality, etc.
A must-read for self-indulgent, reckless and nutcase poets in need of some whipping (Sartre provides it) or medicine (Baudelaire's example).
However, Sartre overlooks two core things:
1) If Baudelaire hadn't been so masochist, childish and morbid, he wouldn't have been the genius he was.
Learning to be a poet is to unlearn how to live. (Houellebecq)
The reason why so many people write and so little is worthy is simple: in order to be a good writer you need to have two opposite qualities: you must be as clever as possible (because writing is not easy) and as crazy as possible (for the written words to matter) (César Aira)
2) I cannot help but consider Sartre's use of an excerpt of Baudelaire's suicide note from 1845 (24 years old) a fallacy of half-truth, since he doesn't quote what's more important of that note and makes Baudelaire not so eager of being whipped by life or his chosen authorities (family, Joseph de Maistre, God, etc.):
I consider myself inmortal yet I only wait.
If you are an Everest of talent such as Rimbaud or Baudelaire were, and you see and know that is not going to pay off in the same proportion whatsoever, you either quit like the former or live as neurotically as the latter, what else...
A must-read for self-indulgent, reckless and nutcase poets in need of some whipping (Sartre provides it) or medicine (Baudelaire's example).
However, Sartre overlooks two core things:
1) If Baudelaire hadn't been so masochist, childish and morbid, he wouldn't have been the genius he was.
Learning to be a poet is to unlearn how to live. (Houellebecq)
The reason why so many people write and so little is worthy is simple: in order to be a good writer you need to have two opposite qualities: you must be as clever as possible (because writing is not easy) and as crazy as possible (for the written words to matter) (César Aira)
2) I cannot help but consider Sartre's use of an excerpt of Baudelaire's suicide note from 1845 (24 years old) a fallacy of half-truth, since he doesn't quote what's more important of that note and makes Baudelaire not so eager of being whipped by life or his chosen authorities (family, Joseph de Maistre, God, etc.):
I consider myself inmortal yet I only wait.
If you are an Everest of talent such as Rimbaud or Baudelaire were, and you see and know that is not going to pay off in the same proportion whatsoever, you either quit like the former or live as neurotically as the latter, what else...
August 22, 2019
Sartre offers the reader a peering and somewhat brutal examination of Baudelaire. Less a critical reading of the author's work than a Freudian biography adorned by existential themes--billowing with pessimistic grace. Baudelaire's dandyism, his fomenting of self-ridicule and humiliation, his disdain of nature and especially his odd relationship with his mother offer boundless fodder for Sartre. Baudelaire's dandyism in particular strikes the philosopher as less an example of homoeroticism than a exhibitionism. I think Sartre's treasured trope of mirror-gazing might be at play here. There is an unmistakable honor in these criticisms, yet somehow, I don't the poet ever returning the favor. I think this should be approached with other interpretations of Baudelaire at hand, Calasso and Benjamin might shore up these undulations.
March 1, 2022
“Baudelaire turned to the past in order to limit freedom by character.”
Such an electrified and vivid exploration of one of the greatest poets of ninetieth century. It seemed as if Baudelaire was traversing himself on the pages—such was the powerful writing of Sartre. Not even for a sentence Sartre deviated from his exploration of Baudelaire. He was always going on with the flow to grasp the eluding,vapouring nature of Baudelaire's spirit. Sartre,through his own school of philosophy–existentialism–pulsed the fleeting consciousness of Baudelaire. More than Baudelaire's poetry the most important factor for Sartre was Baudelaire's life and the choices he made. That's why he hardly discussed about Baudelaire's poetry in his analysis in this book. He reflected on his character mostly from his intimate letters and diaries. As a result we can for the first time through Sartre can take a snapshot of Baudelaire's most hidden thoughts and illusions. And the moment we see him stripped of his poetic we can know what made him the poet he was. I think that's the most essential thing in any kind of study of a historical character. More than some dead biographical information we need the source of that eluding consciousness which manifests historical character of humanity along with that particular character. And Sartre,with his brilliant writing proved it again.
He writes:
“Baudelaire’s fundamental attitude was that of man bending over himself—bending over his own reflection like Narcissus.”
As if those words didn’t reflect the depth of Baudelaire enough that he writes again,more interestingly this time:
“He watched himself see; he watched in order to see himself watch;it was his own consciousness of the tree and the house that he contemplated.”
So we can understand from these lines that Baudelaire was absorbed in his own reflective consciousness. He made himself an object in his own eyes. Most of all he was in Bad faith(a curious Sartrean term).
Sartre even wrote on every poet's poetic reality. And this i found to be the most interesting thing about this book. Because it gives us the readers a tool to explore so many poetic characters like Baudelaire. For Sartre Baudelaire's poetic reality was spiritual. He writes:
“Every poet pursues in his own way this synthesis of existence and being which, we have seen,is an impossibility. Their quest leads them to choose certain objects in the world which seem to them to be the most eloquent symbols of that reality in which existence and being would merge,and to try to appropriate them to themselves through contemplation.”
“The whole of Baudelaire's efforts were devoted to the recovery of his consciousnesses”, writes Sartre,“to possessing it like an object in the hollow of his hand.”
Sartre even becomes more serious and radical when he explained the nature of his poetry from Baudelaire's basic human and poetic reality.
In this context he writes:
“That is why he caught in full flight everything which bore any resemblance to an objectified consciousness—perfumes,subdued lights,distant music were so many tiny,mute,given consciousness, so many images of his unseizable existence which were at once absorbed and consumed like hosts. He was haunted by the desire to touch and feel thoughts which had become objects—his own incarnate thoughts.”
This book is too dense to be summarized in this single review. But if we want to summarize the whole current of Sartre's existential psychoanalysis we would say in Sartre's own words:
“The free choice which a man makes of himself is completely identified with what is called his destiny”
Such an electrified and vivid exploration of one of the greatest poets of ninetieth century. It seemed as if Baudelaire was traversing himself on the pages—such was the powerful writing of Sartre. Not even for a sentence Sartre deviated from his exploration of Baudelaire. He was always going on with the flow to grasp the eluding,vapouring nature of Baudelaire's spirit. Sartre,through his own school of philosophy–existentialism–pulsed the fleeting consciousness of Baudelaire. More than Baudelaire's poetry the most important factor for Sartre was Baudelaire's life and the choices he made. That's why he hardly discussed about Baudelaire's poetry in his analysis in this book. He reflected on his character mostly from his intimate letters and diaries. As a result we can for the first time through Sartre can take a snapshot of Baudelaire's most hidden thoughts and illusions. And the moment we see him stripped of his poetic we can know what made him the poet he was. I think that's the most essential thing in any kind of study of a historical character. More than some dead biographical information we need the source of that eluding consciousness which manifests historical character of humanity along with that particular character. And Sartre,with his brilliant writing proved it again.
He writes:
“Baudelaire’s fundamental attitude was that of man bending over himself—bending over his own reflection like Narcissus.”
As if those words didn’t reflect the depth of Baudelaire enough that he writes again,more interestingly this time:
“He watched himself see; he watched in order to see himself watch;it was his own consciousness of the tree and the house that he contemplated.”
So we can understand from these lines that Baudelaire was absorbed in his own reflective consciousness. He made himself an object in his own eyes. Most of all he was in Bad faith(a curious Sartrean term).
Sartre even wrote on every poet's poetic reality. And this i found to be the most interesting thing about this book. Because it gives us the readers a tool to explore so many poetic characters like Baudelaire. For Sartre Baudelaire's poetic reality was spiritual. He writes:
“Every poet pursues in his own way this synthesis of existence and being which, we have seen,is an impossibility. Their quest leads them to choose certain objects in the world which seem to them to be the most eloquent symbols of that reality in which existence and being would merge,and to try to appropriate them to themselves through contemplation.”
“The whole of Baudelaire's efforts were devoted to the recovery of his consciousnesses”, writes Sartre,“to possessing it like an object in the hollow of his hand.”
Sartre even becomes more serious and radical when he explained the nature of his poetry from Baudelaire's basic human and poetic reality.
In this context he writes:
“That is why he caught in full flight everything which bore any resemblance to an objectified consciousness—perfumes,subdued lights,distant music were so many tiny,mute,given consciousness, so many images of his unseizable existence which were at once absorbed and consumed like hosts. He was haunted by the desire to touch and feel thoughts which had become objects—his own incarnate thoughts.”
This book is too dense to be summarized in this single review. But if we want to summarize the whole current of Sartre's existential psychoanalysis we would say in Sartre's own words:
“The free choice which a man makes of himself is completely identified with what is called his destiny”
April 30, 2016
A beautiful, elusively sympathetic, yet brutally honest look at this poet and his jagged life. Very few authors have ever deserved to write a critical essay on Baudelaire--this is the one.
August 13, 2024
عنصر جالبی که در بودلر به عنوان یک شاعر پیدا کردم، بیعلاقگی و بیمیلیش به طبیعت و گیاهان و علاقهی زیادش به هر چیز شهری بود!
یکی از نقلقولهای بودلر که ازش خوشم اومد:
«شر بیتلاش اتفاق میافتد؛ به طوری طبیعی، گریزناپذیر.
و خیر، همواره محصول یک هنرمند است.»
.
.
.
درمورد کتاب:
1. خیلی ارتباط نگرفتم با کتاب، جذابیت کمی داشت؛ مدام مُچ ذهنم رو در حال پرش از روی جملات میگرفتم.
2. گاهاً از کلمات زیادی ادبی و جملات زیادی طولانی استفاده شده بود که فهم رو به تأخیر مینداخت.(نمیدونم از جانب نویسنده یا مترجم)
3. بیشتر تحلیلی بر اقدامات چارلز بودلر، بعضی ابیاتش و نامههاش بود که حس ناقص بودن به خواننده میداد چون انگار از وسط شروع شده بود ،بدون پیشزمینهی کافی دربارهش.
4. ویراستاری کتاب هم در نسخهای که من خوندم افتضاح بود؛ جملات در پاراگراف های بسیار طولانی و بهم فشرده جا گرفته بودن که این میتونه مهمترین علت عدم جذابیت کتاب باشه برام چون اجازه نمیداد مطالب دستهبندی شده و منظم تو ذهن بشینه.
یکی از نقلقولهای بودلر که ازش خوشم اومد:
«شر بیتلاش اتفاق میافتد؛ به طوری طبیعی، گریزناپذیر.
و خیر، همواره محصول یک هنرمند است.»
.
.
.
درمورد کتاب:
1. خیلی ارتباط نگرفتم با کتاب، جذابیت کمی داشت؛ مدام مُچ ذهنم رو در حال پرش از روی جملات میگرفتم.
2. گاهاً از کلمات زیادی ادبی و جملات زیادی طولانی استفاده شده بود که فهم رو به تأخیر مینداخت.(نمیدونم از جانب نویسنده یا مترجم)
3. بیشتر تحلیلی بر اقدامات چارلز بودلر، بعضی ابیاتش و نامههاش بود که حس ناقص بودن به خواننده میداد چون انگار از وسط شروع شده بود ،بدون پیشزمینهی کافی دربارهش.
4. ویراستاری کتاب هم در نسخهای که من خوندم افتضاح بود؛ جملات در پاراگراف های بسیار طولانی و بهم فشرده جا گرفته بودن که این میتونه مهمترین علت عدم جذابیت کتاب باشه برام چون اجازه نمیداد مطالب دستهبندی شده و منظم تو ذهن بشینه.
April 26, 2013
در کنار فصل بودلر در تجربه مدرنیته اثر مارشال برمن و همچنین مقالات عمیق و راهگشای والتر بنیامین، این کتاب هستی شناسانه ی ژان پل سارتر ما را از دیدگاه جدیدی با بودلر رازآمیز و عجیب آشنا می کند
در این کتاب سارتر سعی دارد به جهان بودلر از راه اشعار و نامه ها دیگر نوشته هایش ، وارد شود و تا حد خوبی هم موفق بوده ، گو آنکه دو اثر دیگری که نام برد برای من در شناخت جایگاه ممتاز بودلر در مدرنیته روشنگرتر اند
کشتی به دام افتاده در قطب
همچون در تله ای از بلور
در جستجوی تنگه ی تقدیر است
که او را به این محبس کشانده
....
در این کتاب سارتر سعی دارد به جهان بودلر از راه اشعار و نامه ها دیگر نوشته هایش ، وارد شود و تا حد خوبی هم موفق بوده ، گو آنکه دو اثر دیگری که نام برد برای من در شناخت جایگاه ممتاز بودلر در مدرنیته روشنگرتر اند
کشتی به دام افتاده در قطب
همچون در تله ای از بلور
در جستجوی تنگه ی تقدیر است
که او را به این محبس کشانده
....
February 14, 2025
Diria que és una investigació molt personal de Sartre, que obra amb una pregunta fonamental per a l'existencialisme: tenim la vida que mereixem? El retrat que fa de Baudelaire és intensament psicològic, rondant la psicoanàlisi en ocasions, i gairebé no conté explicacions o cronologia sobre els fets més notables de l'existència de Baudelaire. Tot i això, ofereix una sèrie d'idees molt interessants sobre el poeta, que permeten deconstruir el mite del poeta maleït, o bé intercanviar-lo pel de "el poeta que es maleï a si mateix". La solitud, el disgust, el dolor i el fàstic presents en Baudelaire... tota una empresa contra la moral des de la moral, contra l'avorriment de la bellesa estàndar a través de la presència de la Bellesa en la lletjor, contra el pensament còmode a través de les més grans polèmiques. Molt bo.
November 16, 2017
Sartre, Baudelaire'in varlık ve varoluş arasında, geçmişin şimdiki anda kendisini ortaya koyduğu, gösterişçi bir hiçlik mertebesini alınyazısı olarak seçtiği, hayatının ve şiirlerinin felsefik ve ruhbilimsel çözümlemesini yapmış. Hayatını yargılayan kişileri dışarıda bulamadığı zaman hayalinde oluşturan Baudelaire, İyilik'in kurallarına şiddetle karşı çıktığı ölçüde kabul eden, kendini yok sayarken olumlayan bir hayatı yaşamış. Büyük ozan Baudelaire'in kişiliğinin ve şiirlerinin derinliğinde yatanları anlamak isteyenler için eşsiz bir eser.
October 19, 2025
That's a lot of words just to say he was a pathetic diva
December 7, 2025
Ein Glück, dass der Band so kurz ist und Ich gar nicht zwei Wochen daran hingelesen habe. Das wäre wirklich anstrengend, wenn ich 14 Tage mit den selben 120 Seiten verbracht und einfach nicht vorangekommen wäre, Ich meine stell dir mal vor wie nervig das wäre.
October 19, 2018
It's well written, but I didn't feel inspired to finish it. This is Sartre's attempt to interpret and explain the writer, poet, and critic, Charles Baudelaire, through Existentialist philosophy. I think I bought this book years ago at a library sale. Once I proceeded to read it, I found myself wishing that this was a more fact-based bio about Baudelaire, the boy who grew into a man, who grew into the literary figure. I also understand only minimal French, so it would be helpful if the French passages were translated into English, since I can't easily look up the frequently cited French on my cell phone.
I don't like the idea of abandoning this for other books I'd rather read, esp. since I rarely do so, but ultimately I felt that was the best decision.
I don't like the idea of abandoning this for other books I'd rather read, esp. since I rarely do so, but ultimately I felt that was the best decision.
August 11, 2008
"He held himself back, put on the brake, judged himself; he was his own witness and own executioner, the knife which turns in the wound and the chisel which fashions the marble."
Sartre dissects Baudelaire in his own way, which of course means looking at the character of Baudelaire as an existential object. This book is a quick read, and offers some novel insights into Baudelaire, but I am certain there are better books on the subject. This book is, however, quite clear and accessible.
Sartre dissects Baudelaire in his own way, which of course means looking at the character of Baudelaire as an existential object. This book is a quick read, and offers some novel insights into Baudelaire, but I am certain there are better books on the subject. This book is, however, quite clear and accessible.
April 22, 2011
In his essay, Sartre dissects the personality of Baudelaire from a position of psychoanalysis. The one who is going to read this work should be well aware of the poet's biography beforehand, for the author presents only some of essential biographical facts - that is, it's not a biography in its pure form. As a review, it lacks for quotations from Baudelaire's poems and prose. First of all, Sartre shows his keen interest in the Baudelaire inward life.
May 25, 2008
A critical study based largely on unverifiable speculation about the mental state of its subject. There is surprisingly little of Baudelaire's poetry or prose cited here. Sartre treats the poet's life (or rather, Sartre's conception of his life) as a case study illustrating the existential principles of freedom, anxiety and radical subjectivity.
February 9, 2016
Jean - Paul Sartre was a philosopher, not a biographist. So this biography isn't perfect, but it's just OK.
April 14, 2021
El filósofo Jean-Paul Sartre con ‘Baudelaire’ (1947), ofreció un análisis o retrato psicológico del artista en contexto con su «hecho poético». Y para esta labor utilizaría como apoyo documental epístolas privadas, textos de sus conocidos, obras de tinte aforístico como ‘Cohetes’ o ‘Mi corazón al desnudo’, y en menor medida su poesía.
Sea como fuere Sartre intenta situar el origen de la famosa insatisfacción o malestar baudelerianos, del poeta maldito, «Baudelaire no cree del todo en nada de lo que piensa, en nada de lo que siente, en ninguno de sus sufrimientos y en ninguna de sus rechinantes voluptuosidades; quizá en eso reside su verdadero sufrimiento» (p. 54); también presta atención a su rechazo por el orden de la naturaleza por el que siente una vaga monotonía (p. 68) y su subsiguiente apuesta por lo artificial: ya que en esto último se halla la capacidad humana de «crear» (p. 30); también deja espacio para abordar el dandismo, pose que en Baudelaire resulta más extravagante que elegante y acaba en una suerte actitud aristocrática individual, que desprecia al burgués, que esclaviza al Arte, y dimana del cambio del Antiguo Régimen a la época «altocapitalista» como la definiera W. Benjamin.
Otras cuestiones planteadas serán sus relaciones familiares, especialmente con su madre, sus vínculos con las mujeres, el sentido del Bien y el Mal, la Belleza…
Pero lo cierto es que hacia el final del ensayo Sartre —que ahora sí parece atender más a la obra poética—indaga en cuestiones de índole filosóficas, como esa «ligereza metafísica del mundo baudeleriano», lo «espiritual», o su «ser». Un ser que se justifica en un Pasado Universal al que pide la misma eternidad: ¿Acaso no es el pasado definitivo, inmutable, inalcanzable? (p. 112).
En conclusión, este ensayo no deja de ser una interpretación, la interpretación de Sartre, y por ello se podrá estar, o no, de acuerdo con sus postulados, mas no cabe duda de que fue un trabajo harto meritorio que quizá se disfrute más apoyándolo con otros que ayuden a situar a Baudelaire, véase por ejemplo el de su contemporáneo Charles Asselinau recientemente publicado por ‘Pre-Textos’, o los apuntes de W. Benjamin.
Sea como fuere Sartre intenta situar el origen de la famosa insatisfacción o malestar baudelerianos, del poeta maldito, «Baudelaire no cree del todo en nada de lo que piensa, en nada de lo que siente, en ninguno de sus sufrimientos y en ninguna de sus rechinantes voluptuosidades; quizá en eso reside su verdadero sufrimiento» (p. 54); también presta atención a su rechazo por el orden de la naturaleza por el que siente una vaga monotonía (p. 68) y su subsiguiente apuesta por lo artificial: ya que en esto último se halla la capacidad humana de «crear» (p. 30); también deja espacio para abordar el dandismo, pose que en Baudelaire resulta más extravagante que elegante y acaba en una suerte actitud aristocrática individual, que desprecia al burgués, que esclaviza al Arte, y dimana del cambio del Antiguo Régimen a la época «altocapitalista» como la definiera W. Benjamin.
Otras cuestiones planteadas serán sus relaciones familiares, especialmente con su madre, sus vínculos con las mujeres, el sentido del Bien y el Mal, la Belleza…
Pero lo cierto es que hacia el final del ensayo Sartre —que ahora sí parece atender más a la obra poética—indaga en cuestiones de índole filosóficas, como esa «ligereza metafísica del mundo baudeleriano», lo «espiritual», o su «ser». Un ser que se justifica en un Pasado Universal al que pide la misma eternidad: ¿Acaso no es el pasado definitivo, inmutable, inalcanzable? (p. 112).
En conclusión, este ensayo no deja de ser una interpretación, la interpretación de Sartre, y por ello se podrá estar, o no, de acuerdo con sus postulados, mas no cabe duda de que fue un trabajo harto meritorio que quizá se disfrute más apoyándolo con otros que ayuden a situar a Baudelaire, véase por ejemplo el de su contemporáneo Charles Asselinau recientemente publicado por ‘Pre-Textos’, o los apuntes de W. Benjamin.
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December 13, 2024Un abuso di argomentazioni ad hominem dall'inizio alla fine. Sartre esamina la vita di Baudelaire in senso psicanalitico (nel senso di una sua particolare psicanalisi, che vorrebbe distinguere da quella freudiana in modo nemmeno ben specificato), e la impone in controluce alla sua opera poetica. Anzi, la impone come l'unico lato rilevante della medaglia: forte della reazione iper-realistica postbellica, indica in Baudelaire il prototipo di tutti quegli atteggiamenti di ripiegamento in se stessi, di ambiguità, di indifferenza, di irresponsabilità attraverso i quali il filosofo prende le distanze in un sol colpo da tutti i discendenti estetico-centrati di Baudelaire, primi fra tutti i surrealisti. Il problema di questo libro è l'intransigenza, l'approccio dominante, bianco e nero di chi non intende mettersi in discussione a sua volta: la prosa è impegnata, la poesia no; il pensiero filosofico può servire alla rivoluzione, l'estetica tutt'al più finge di ribellarsi, senza smettere di confermare la sua complicità con l'ordine tradizionale. Cosa non vera, visto che tanto per cominciare un certo Walter Benjamin ha scritto più che altrettanto sulla sensibilità di Baudelaire verso i marginalizzati e gli oppressi in contesto metropolitano: come se fosse meno valido da un punto di vista scientifico che il suo contributo si sia espresso in modalità indirette e riflessive! Sartre non accetta che la letteratura rimanga letteratura, che non diventi politica, o peggio mera prescrizione didattica. D'altra parte l'analisi complementare di ciò che Baudelaire ha scelto di ignorare o di sacrificare viziosamente (la sua vita) ha i suoi momenti di brillantezza, e credo che lo stesso Baudelaire, in accordo alle supposizioni di Sartre, sarebbe stato divertito di leggersi oggettivato da una prospettiva esterna quanto più lontana possibile dalla propria.
June 26, 2024
I have never read Baudelaire's book, the flowers of evil (Les Fleurs du mal), and frankly, was more opportunistically reading something by Sartre, as I'd never read him either; so this was a weird experience. But after reading about the life of this Baudelaire fellow, who seems a depressing kind of soul, I might give it a whirl. Knowing a little about his incredibly melodramatic life, he has sentimentality that would fit well in todays world; a trust fund kid, dressing well, who can never be comfortable in his own company. Anxiety ridden, no doubt, and who, after experiencing the mildest of life experiences (a holiday), was paralysed by their influence.
It's a relentless book, and at times, hard to follow, which I don't chalk up to its publication date of 1947, and gives a 'hot take' on Baudelaire's life. Sarte writes of the Poet at such a deep and personal level that its curious that while they never met, Sartre was so influenced by the poet, that he imagined himself to know Baudelaire well enough to write such an intimate account of him. In part, its a fan letter, in another way, an exploration into why Baudelaire was such a hot mess of financial mismanagement, addiction, and romantic turmoil. In ways, its a look into the life of someone who sits around all day, gets high, and moans about not getting enough money from their parents, which, like I said, makes him a perfect candidate to live in todays strange and interesting world.
It's a relentless book, and at times, hard to follow, which I don't chalk up to its publication date of 1947, and gives a 'hot take' on Baudelaire's life. Sarte writes of the Poet at such a deep and personal level that its curious that while they never met, Sartre was so influenced by the poet, that he imagined himself to know Baudelaire well enough to write such an intimate account of him. In part, its a fan letter, in another way, an exploration into why Baudelaire was such a hot mess of financial mismanagement, addiction, and romantic turmoil. In ways, its a look into the life of someone who sits around all day, gets high, and moans about not getting enough money from their parents, which, like I said, makes him a perfect candidate to live in todays strange and interesting world.
December 28, 2024
Neat and tidy. Much psychoanalysis. Sartre hones the skill of fleshing it all out, making mountains of molehills, or number of other crude and overused phrase. There is always something deeper or more accurate in his observation; forever attempting to thread the impossible needle of truly understanding the mind another person. Correlating action with thought with the written word only to be subverted by the principles espoused in their published work. This is the difficulty with psychoanalysis, less of a science than an art. The introduction given by Martin Turnell is also enjoyable, his footnotes make for sound companionship. I would commend this book. Baudelaire really makes me laugh.
“what I feel is an immense discouragement, a sense of unbearable isolation . . . a complete ab- sence of desires, an impossibility of finding any sort of amusement. The strange success of my book and the hatred it aroused interested me for a short time, but after.that I sank back into my usual mood.”
“Lord”, he writes “in what a difficult position you've put me! I simply must have a little rest. I ask nothing more than that.'
“what I feel is an immense discouragement, a sense of unbearable isolation . . . a complete ab- sence of desires, an impossibility of finding any sort of amusement. The strange success of my book and the hatred it aroused interested me for a short time, but after.that I sank back into my usual mood.”
“Lord”, he writes “in what a difficult position you've put me! I simply must have a little rest. I ask nothing more than that.'
November 29, 2025
3.5/5 !!
i thought this was a really insightful look into a guy i really didn’t know much about. i’ve only read a handful of baudelaire poems, but i think im gonna have to go seek out more of his writing. maybe knowing this analysis of him is going to skew my opinions on what he has to say but it’s chill.
i think the things sartre chose to focus on really brought an interesting perspective into how baudelaire lived his life and what was really behind his writing.
kind of written stream of consciousness style but i liked that about it and i didn’t find it hard to follow at all
i thought this was a really insightful look into a guy i really didn’t know much about. i’ve only read a handful of baudelaire poems, but i think im gonna have to go seek out more of his writing. maybe knowing this analysis of him is going to skew my opinions on what he has to say but it’s chill.
i think the things sartre chose to focus on really brought an interesting perspective into how baudelaire lived his life and what was really behind his writing.
kind of written stream of consciousness style but i liked that about it and i didn’t find it hard to follow at all
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August 3, 2020萨特一生创作了4部传记作品。除了他的自传体小说《词语》（Les Mots）（又译作《文字生���》），还有《波德莱尔》（Baudelaire）、《圣热内，喜剧演员和殉道者》（Saint Genet, comédien et martyr）（以下简称《圣热内》，以法国现代作家让·热内为研究对象）、《家中的低能儿》(L’Idiot de la famille)(以福楼拜为研究对象)，其中后两部尚无中文译本。这几部作品的描述对象都是作家，均使用了存在主义精神分析法，这一点可从法国自传研究专家菲利浦·勒热纳（Philippe Lejeune）的《自传契约》中找到佐证。上述 4部作品在当时肯定具有创新意义，每一部的出版当时都引发了热烈的讨论。
萨特在《存在与虚无》中提出，存在主义精神分析法的原则是整体地理解人的存在。他这样说：“这种精神分析法的原则是，人是一个整体而不是一个集合；因此，他在他的行为的最没有意义和最表面的东西中都完整地表现出来——换言之，没有任何一种人的爱好、习癖和活动���不具有揭示性的”。萨特认为，作为自为存在的自由是人类行动的首要条件，从整体的视角把握人的存在就必须把理解人的自由作为起点。
存在主义精神分析法的目标是探寻人的“原始谋划”（projet originel）。萨特认为，找到主体的“原始谋划”才是对之进行整体理解的关键。这时，主体各种看似荒诞不经的行为都可以得到合理解释。这里的“原始”是指不可还原的最初选择，即人的一生中有无数选择和谋划，最初那个决定其命运走向的谋划才是“原始谋划”。《圣热内》一书就是要找到促使热内走上写作之路的“原始谋划”。
——摘自《论萨特传记作品的特殊范式：<圣热内，喜剧演员和殉道者>的存在主义精神分析验视》
萨特在《存在与虚无》中提出，存在主义精神分析法的原则是整体地理解人的存在。他这样说：“这种精神分析法的原则是，人是一个整体而不是一个集合；因此，他在他的行为的最没有意义和最表面的东西中都完整地表现出来——换言之，没有任何一种人的爱好、习癖和活动���不具有揭示性的”。萨特认为，作为自为存在的自由是人类行动的首要条件，从整体的视角把握人的存在就必须把理解人的自由作为起点。
存在主义精神分析法的目标是探寻人的“原始谋划”（projet originel）。萨特认为，找到主体的“原始谋划”才是对之进行整体理解的关键。这时，主体各种看似荒诞不经的行为都可以得到合理解释。这里的“原始”是指不可还原的最初选择，即人的一生中有无数选择和谋划，最初那个决定其命运走向的谋划才是“原始谋划”。《圣热内》一书就是要找到促使热内走上写作之路的“原始谋划”。
——摘自《论萨特传记作品的特殊范式：<圣热内，喜剧演员和殉道者>的存在主义精神分析验视》
August 26, 2024
Libro bastante lúcido que brinda una interpretación existencialista de Baudelaire, según la cual el poeta habría escogido todo aquello que pareciera que se le impuso a modo de destino. La escritura resulta algo intensa y enrevesada por momentos y ciertamente hay algunas exageraciones hermenéuticas, pero también pueden encontrarse aquí innumerables pistas para entender cabalmente lo que significó Baudelaire como hombre y poeta.
August 8, 2020
Sartre'ın şair Baudelaire'e yönelik kitap kalınlığındaki bu eleştiri yazısı hayatınızda okuyabileceğiniz en kötü düz yazılardan. Sartre üstadın eleştiride üçkağıda kaçması ve işin felsefesini sürekli minder dışına taşımaya çalışması da cabası.
September 22, 2025
‘Kötülük Çiçekleri’inin şairi Charles Baudelaire’in düşün dünyasını en iyi Jean-Paul Sartre’ın ‘Baudelaire’ini okumakla mümkün olur diyebilirim. Sartre’ın psikanalitik yeteneğine ise hayran kalmamak mümkün değil.
September 11, 2020
Sartre's compelling, though not complimentary, assessment of Baudelaire's character and life and the influence on his poetry.
February 20, 2022
امتلكت هذا الكتاب ورقيا وقراته لكن الترجمة والنسخة كانت قديمة وثم اهديت الكتاب ,دراسة للفيلسوف والناقد والأديب الفرنسي جان بول سارتر عن الشاعر الحداثي الفرنسي بودلير
June 13, 2024
Sartre's writing is fluent and exhilarating. Interesting psychoanalytic approach to Baudelaire and his work and how he saw himself in his world. A really good read and would certainly recommend.
December 20, 2024
written with much greater clarity than i expected given sartre's reputation
November 26, 2018
Your history is very good.
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