Baudelaire’s Albatross and Condemned Book Analysis
The Albatross
Belongs to Spleen and Ideal.
Title Analysis
Emblematic: Previews the central figure.
Symbolic: The bird as a symbol.
The title anticipates the albatross, a central symbol influenced by Symbolism, a movement where Baudelaire is a key figure.
The bird’s duality (freedom vs. black and white synthesis) reflects the poet as both celestial and cursed. Its sea habitat links to the poet’s timeless existence.
First Quatrain
Starts with “fun,” setting the tone for the sailors’ portrayal.
Sailors contrast with the albatross. They are rustic and aggressive, while the bird represents freedom and elevation, provoking violence.
The first four verses introduce the setting: the vast sea where both sailors and albatross exist. The poem mentions “indolent fellow travelers” and “the ship slips into bitter depths,” reflecting Romantic themes of a misunderstood world.
Second Quatrain
Depicts the albatross’s degradation on deck. A contrast between its past glory (“Blue King”) and present misery is shown.
The albatross’s beauty becomes a burden, symbolizing the cursed poet.
Third Quatrain
Uses exclamations to show empathy for the albatross.
Contrasts the bird’s skyward beauty with its clumsy state among sailors.
The last two lines depict a conflict between the pragmatic and the spiritual. Sailors use violence, while the albatross’s “peak” represents the power of the word.
Fourth Quatrain
Directly links the albatross to the poet, calling him “lord of the clouds.”
This emphasizes superiority, though confined to imagination.
Romantic elements appear in “dwells in the storm,” reflecting the movement’s focus on turmoil.
Despite chaos, the poet finds solace in his art, a Romantic trait.
Heading for a Condemned Book
To: Preposition.
External Structure: Sonnet (classic heroic verse poetry).
Rhyme: Consonant, chained.
Title: Iconic, previews the book’s theme.
“Item…”: Introduces the book’s content.
Specific Recipient: Indicated by “for.”
“A”: Emphasizes quantity.
Condemned: Defines the book’s semantic field.
- Immutable – unchangeable.
- Inadmissible – deserving censure.
Condemned due to its Saturnian, orgiastic nature.
The book’s character is reprehensible, the reader’s role unchangeable.
First Stanza
Focuses on the reader.
Presents the reader as crucial for understanding the work, aligning with reception aesthetics.
The reader’s adjectives contrast with the book’s, showing unconscious vs. measured elements. Romantic and dark aspects are incorporated.
Second Stanza
Starts with a conditional “if,” introducing a hypothetical reality.
The poem demands readers understand the book, emphasizing the reader’s role in interpretation. Lack of understanding can lead to misinterpretation.
Knowing the obscure and instinctive, associated with Satan, is essential.