Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Baudelaire" by Delmore Schwartz serves as both a homage to and a complex psychological portrait of Charles Baudelaire, the 19th-century French poet. The poem functions as a kind of monologue, assuming the voice of Baudelaire himself and offering glimpses into the multifaceted relationship between his art, personal tribulations, and complex feelings for his mother. Rather than situating Baudelaire as a lofty, untouchable artist, Schwartz humanizes him by delving into his anxieties, debts, and frailties.

The first stanza immerses us in a world of spectral voices, which speak "whole phrases, commonplace and trivial," making us privy to Baudelaire's internal state. Here, one can't help but be reminded of the supernatural and existential themes that pervade Baudelaire's own work. It reflects the ceaseless noise of thought, the endless internal dialogue that often has "no relation" to one's pressing life concerns. The commonplace and trivial thoughts that flood the mind in idle moments echo the absurdity of existence that existentialists often ponder.

From there, the poem shifts towards the confessional, with Baudelaire speaking directly to his mother about his life's struggles. The weight of debt, the looming specter of court judgment, and existential crises envelop him. It is also significant that Baudelaire addresses his mother as the one "always armed to stone me," suggesting a deeply conflicted relationship that "dates from childhood." This mirrors the historical Baudelaire's complex relationship with his mother, whom he both revered and resented. His desperate query, "is any time left to us / In which to be happy?" points to a shared but elusive pursuit of happiness that constantly slips through their fingers.

The poem takes on a melancholic tone as it moves through layers of hope and despair. Baudelaire finds temporary solace in the near completion of a book that almost makes him happy. But this hope is undercut by the financial and existential "debts and inquietude" that "persist and weaken" him. We are then presented with the temptation personified by Satan, the invitation to "rest and play today," which in the end only adds to his guilt and procrastination. This diabolic temptation functions as a metaphor for the distractions and lures that keep the artist from fulfilling his role.

The last stanzas further explore the poet's life-the incessant "quota of wrath" and the existential ennui. Baudelaire talks about writing on two grand subjects-"A History of Caricature" and "A History of Sculpture"-projects that could be seen as representative of the masks and monuments we create, both societally and personally. Interestingly, these grand projects exist alongside a plea for financial help from his mother, grounding the loftiness of artistic endeavor in everyday need and dependency.

Schwartz's "Baudelaire" thus becomes a nuanced portrayal of an artist shackled by the earthly chains of financial troubles, societal expectations, and emotional complexities. In assuming Baudelaire's voice, Schwartz extends a form of poetic kinship, forging an understanding that traverses time and language, joining two poets in their shared struggles and dedications to the craft. The poem itself becomes a monument, not just to Baudelaire's obsessions, hatred, and disgust, but also to the enduring human condition that weaves its dark threads through the lives of artists across ages.

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