That which is not slightly distorted lacks sensible appeal; from which it follows that irregularity – that is to say, the unexpected, surprise and astonishment, are a essential part and characteristic of beauty.
Charles BaudelaireRead
I have cultivated my hysteria with delight and terror. Now I suffer continually from vertigo, and today, 23rd of January, 1862, I have received a singular warning, I have felt the wind of the wing of madness pass over me.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Baudelaire expresses the duality of joy and fear in his emotional experiences, highlighting the thin line between genius and madness.
In this quote, Charles Baudelaire reflects on his complex emotional landscape, where delight and terror coexist. He suggests that by embracing his intense emotions and creativity, he has also opened himself up to the dangers of madness, indicating a struggle with the consequences of artistic inspiration. The sensation of 'vertigo' symbolizes the overwhelming nature of his feelings as well as the precariousness of his mental state, suggesting that the pursuit of creativity can bring both beauty and chaos.
Themes
MadnessEmotionArtistryDualitiesCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the struggles of artists, this quote from Baudelaire illustrates the fine line between creativity and insanity.
More from Charles Baudelaire
All quotes →The dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs.
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Who among us has not dreamt, in moments of ambition, of the miracle of a poetic prose, musical without rhythm and rhyme, supple and staccato enough to adapt to the lyrical stirrings of the soul, the undulations of dreams, and sudden leaps of consciousness.
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There is no sweeter pleasure than to surprise a man by giving him more than he hopes for.
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The priest is an immense being because he makes the crowd believe astonishing things.
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I consider it useless and tedious to represent what exists, because nothing that exists satisfies me. Nature is ugly, and I prefer the monsters of my fancy to what is positively trivial.
Charles BaudelaireRead
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