Overview
Paul Verlaine is one of the most important French poets of the 19th century , a central figure of the Symbolist movement and of Decadent poetry . His work and life were marked by paradoxes: the search for purity and spirituality contrasting with an existence troubled by alcohol, violence, and passion.
Life and influences
Born in 1844, Paul Verlaine began writing at a very young age. His early poems were influenced by the Parnassus movement, a literary movement advocating art for art’s sake and descriptive poetry. His collection Poèmes saturniens (1866) is a fine example of this period. However, it was his encounter with the young poet Arthur Rimbaud in 1871 that marked a radical turning point in his life and work. Their tumultuous and passionate relationship led them to travel together, notably to London and Brussels . It was during a violent argument in 1873 that Verlaine shot and wounded Rimbaud, which landed him in prison for two years.
This period of imprisonment was a time of profound introspection for Verlaine, who rediscovered faith and spirituality. This is reflected in his poems , particularly in the collection Sagesse (1880), where he expressed his repentance and his quest for redemption .
Poetic style
Verlaine’s style is characterized by its musicality and fluidity . He favors suggestion and the musicality of words rather than precise description . His famous phrase “Music before all things” perfectly sums up his aesthetic. He excels at creating melancholic moods and interior landscapes, using odd verses and unusual rhythms to break classical conventions.
His favorite themes include :
Melancholy and sadness: A feeling of vagueness in the soul , of spleen, is omnipresent in his poetry .
Nature: The landscapes, often misty and rainy, are a reflection of his state of mind .
Love and passion: In all its forms, whether carnal or spiritual.
Religion and redemption: His quest for faith is a common thread in part of his work .
Legacy
Considered a “Prince of Poets ” by his contemporaries, Verlaine exerted a considerable influence on French poetry . He was a precursor of Symbolism, and his work paved the way for poets such as Guillaume Apollinaire. His bohemian lifestyle and innovative style made him a legendary figure in French literature .
History
Paul Verlaine, an emblematic figure of the 19th century , was a poet whose life was as tormented as his work was innovative. He was born in 1844 into a bourgeois family in Metz and quickly showed a talent for poetry. It was in Paris, where he led a bohemian life , that he immersed himself in literary circles.
His early poems , inspired by the Parnassian movement, are imbued with a certain formal rigor. But his encounter with the young poet Arthur Rimbaud in 1871 turned his life upside down. Their passionate and tumultuous relationship drove them to flee and travel across Europe . Their wandering was marked by arguments, passion, and excess . It was in Brussels, in 1873, that their affair ended in tragedy. Verlaine, in a fit of jealousy and despair, shot Rimbaud with a revolver, slightly wounding his wrist . He was imprisoned for two years.
It was during his imprisonment that Verlaine underwent a profound transformation. He turned to faith, a conversion reflected in his collection Wisdom, in which he expressed his repentance and quest for redemption. But once released , his life remained chaotic, filled with decline , alcoholism, and frequent hospital stays . He led the existence of a tramp, often forgotten by his contemporaries, until his poems regained renewed popularity .
Despite his life of misery , his work continued to assert itself. Verlaine freed himself from formal constraints, favoring music and suggestion over description. His verses are melodies, melancholic murmurs, and he became a precursor of the Symbolist movement. He is the man of “Spleen,” of sadness and melancholy, who sublimates his pain in a delicate and musical poetry .
Paul Verlaine died in 1896, living a miserable life, but he is celebrated by his peers as the “Prince of Poets . ” His legacy is immense; he opened a new path for French poetry , a path where emotion and musicality took precedence over reason and description. He remains one of the most beloved poets , a paradoxical genius who knew how to draw beauty from his own suffering.
Timeline
Youth and literary beginnings (1844-1871)
1844: Birth of Paul Verlaine in Metz.
1851: The family moved to Paris. He began his studies at the lycée and developed a passion for literature .
1866: Publication of his first collection, Po è mes saturniens. His poetry is still marked by the influence of Parnassus.
1869: Publication of Fêtes Galantes, a collection inspired by 18th century painters . He marries Mathilde Mauté .
The Rimbaud period and imprisonment (1871-1875)
September 1871: Meeting with the poet Arthur Rimbaud, who has just arrived in Paris. An intense and passionate relationship begins.
July 1872: Verlaine abandons his wife and son to travel with Rimbaud, first to Belgium, then to England.
, 1873: During a violent argument in Brussels, Verlaine shoots Rimbaud and slightly injures his wrist . He is arrested and imprisoned .
1874-1875: Verlaine serves his sentence in Mons prison. It was during this imprisonment that he converted to Catholicism and began writing the poems in the collection Wisdom.
The decline and recognition (1875-1896 )
1875: Released from prison, he travels to England where he teaches French . He tries to reconnect with Mathilde, without success .
1880: Publication of Sagesse, a collection of poems that are both mystical and repentant, which marks a turning point in his style.
1884: Publication of the critical work Les Poètes maudits, in which he devotes a chapter to Rimbaud and makes his work known to the public.
1886: He published Jadis et nagu è re , which contains the famous poem “ Art po étique ” .
1894: He was elected “Prince of Poets ” , a sign of his official recognition.
1896: Paul Verlaine dies in Paris, in poverty and illness, at the age of 51.
Characteristics of poetry
Paul Verlaine’s poetry is characterized by its musicality, subjectivity , and melancholy . He favored suggestion, emotion, and intimacy rather than description or eloquence.
Musicality and fluidity
Verlaine is one of the most musical poets in French literature . He formulated his aesthetic in his poem “Art poétique ” , where he declares : ” Music before all things ” . For him, poetry must be a melody for the ear, a harmony of sounds. He achieves this effect by using:
Odd verses (often five or seven foot verses) that break the regular rhythm and give an impression of fluidity and spontaneity .
Alliterations and assonances (repetitions of sounds) to create a sound atmosphere.
The abolition of punctuation, which allows the poem to flow freely.
Suggestion and subjectivity
Unlike the Parnassian poetry of his time, which favored objective description, Verlaine focuses on the expression of feelings and states of mind . He does not seek to describe the world as it is, but as it is felt. His poems are interior landscapes where nature is only a reflection of his own emotions. The setting sun, rainy landscapes, and mists are metaphors for his melancholy and sadness.
Recurring themes and motifs
His poetry addresses recurring themes that reflect his life and his sensitivity :
Melancholy : A feeling of vagueness in the soul , spleen, is omnipresent. It expresses sadness, disenchantment and nostalgia.
Love: From passionate love to spiritual love. Her tumultuous relationship with Rimbaud and her quest for redemption after her conversion to Catholicism are at the heart of her poems .
Nature: Often described imprecisely , it is a mirror of one’s feelings.
Religion: After his imprisonment, faith and repentance became major themes in his poetry .
Impacts & Influences
French literature , and his influence was considerable , extending well beyond his own time. His poetic innovations paved the way for new literary movements and influenced many poets who followed him.
Influence on Symbolism and Decadentism
Verlaine is considered one of the fathers of Symbolism. Unlike the Parnassians, who sought a descriptive and impersonal poetry, Verlaine emphasized suggestion, emotion, and musicality. His poem ” Art Poétique ” is a manifesto of this aesthetic, in which he proclaims that poetry must be “music before all else.” He thus inspired poets such as Stéphane Mallarmé and Arthur Rimbaud, who developed and deepened Symbolist ideas, exploring the connections between the external world and the human soul .
Moreover, his melancholic style and bohemian lifestyle made him an emblematic figure of the decadent movement, which advocated aestheticism , melancholy and a break with traditional values.
Renewal of French poetry
Verlaine’s most direct impact lies in his renewal of poetic form. He freed French verse from its classical constraints:
The use of odd verses (often 5 or 7 syllables) is one of his major innovations. By breaking the regularity of the alexandrine verse, he gave greater flexibility and a new musicality to poetry .
The choice of words and the search for sounds , alliterations and assonances, became more important than rhyme itself . Verlaine favored the inner harmony of the poem , where sounds agree to create an atmosphere .
Influence on music and the arts
Verlaine’s impact is not limited to literature. His poetic language and musicality inspired many composers, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries . Poems from his collections, such as Fêtes Galantes, have been set to music by renowned composers such as:
Claude Debussy (who set “Clair de lune” and “Mandoline” to music).
Gabriel Faur é (who set several of Verlaine’s poems to music , such as “Green” and “Mandoline”).
Maurice Ravel (who set “Sainte” to music).
His poems were also performed by singers and artists, testifying to their popularity and enduring appeal. Verlaine’s work thus bridged the gap between poetry and music .
Form(s), genre(s) and style(s)
Paul Verlaine’s poetry is a unique blend of forms and styles, moving away from tradition to create a new aesthetic, based on emotion and musicality .
Forms and genres
Verlaine used various poetic forms, but he is best known for his ability to renew them. He notably:
Used odd verses (often 5, 7 or 9 syllables), which was uncommon at the time. This irregularity helped create a more flexible rhythm that was closer to the melody .
Wrote many sonnets, but was able to adapt them to his style, making them freer and less constrained by rhyme.
Explored various genres, ranging from lyrical poems expressing personal feelings to more introspective and mystical poems .
Writes prose poetry, notably in the collection Jadis et nagu ère.
Styles
Verlaine’s style is one of his most significant contributions to literature. It can be characterized by several elements :
Musicality : He advocated that poetry should be music first and foremost. He used techniques such as alliteration and assonance to create a harmony of sound, a kind of verbal melody.
Suggestion: Rather than describing things, Verlaine sought to suggest them , to create an impression , an atmosphere. He used words and images to create emotions, sensations, not precise descriptions .
Subjectivity : Verlaine’s poetry is deeply personal and lyrical. He expresses his moods , his melancholy and his emotions, often using nature as a mirror of his inner feelings.
This style, focused on feeling, emotion, and musicality, made Verlaine a precursor of Symbolism, and had a lasting influence on modern poetry.
Relationships with poets
Paul Verlaine, a major figure of Symbolism and Decadentism, maintained complex and direct relationships with several poets , thus shaping his work and his life. ✍ ️
Arthur Rimbaud
famous and tumultuous relationship was with Arthur Rimbaud. Their meeting in 1871, after Rimbaud had sent his poems to Verlaine , marked the beginning of a passionate and stormy affair. Together, they traveled to England and Belgium. Their relationship, filled with heartbreak, reconciliation, and excess (alcohol, hashish), ended dramatically in 1873 in Brussels, where Verlaine shot Rimbaud, slightly wounding his wrist . This incident earned Verlaine two years in prison. This period of incarceration was for him the occasion of a mystical crisis and a poetic production imbued with religiosity, as evidenced by his collection Sagesse.
St. phane Mallarmé
Verlaine also had close ties with Stéphane Mallarmé , another leading figure of Symbolism. Their correspondence, rich and sustained, testifies to a great mutual esteem. Mallarmé recognized Verlaine’s genius and often welcomed him into his literary salon, the famous “Tuesday” on the rue de Rome. Their relationship was more intellectual and friendly than passionate, and they shared a vision of poetry focused on suggestion and the musicality of words, even if their styles remained distinct.
Charles Baudelaire
Although Charles Baudelaire died before Verlaine reached his poetic maturity , he had a major and direct influence on him. Verlaine considered him a master , a precursor of Symbolism. In 1884, he published an article entitled ” Accursed Poets , ” in which he highlighted figures such as Rimbaud, Mallarmé , and Corbière , but it was Baudelaire who embodied for him the prototype of the accursed poet , living on the margins of society . Verlaine’s style, his melancholic themes, and his quest for musicality owe much to Baudelaire’s legacy, particularly to the preface to Les Fleurs du Mal.
Relationships
Paul Verlaine, in addition to his relationships with other poets , interacted with people from other artistic, religious and personal backgrounds who deeply influenced his life and work . 🎨
Relationships with artists
Verlaine was influenced by the Impressionist movement in painting. His collection Fêtes Galantes , inspired by the paintings of the 18th-century painter Antoine Watteau, is a notable example. His poetry features descriptions of landscapes with floating contours, plays of light, and melancholic atmospheres that recall the style of painters of his time. The painter Eugène Carriere even painted a portrait of him.
The musicality of his verses inspired many composers, making him one of the most frequently set poets of his time. Composers such as Claude Debussy and Gabriel Fauré created melodies for his poems , demonstrating the close connection between his poetry and music.
Personal relationships
Verlaine married Mathilde Maut é in 1870. She was the half-sister of his friend, the musician Charles de Sivry. The poet dedicated the collection La Bonne Chanson to Mathilde. However, their marriage quickly became conflicted, particularly because of Verlaine’s relationship with Arthur Rimbaud. Mathilde obtained a separation in 1874.
Relations with religion
After his break with Rimbaud and his imprisonment , Verlaine experienced a mystical crisis. He converted to Catholicism, a faith that greatly influenced his writings at this time. His collection Wisdom is a testament to this new spirituality, and he presents himself as a “Catholic poet ” who has rediscovered his faith.
Similar poets
The name Paul Verlaine is inseparable from a very specific poetic movement, Symbolism, and the figures that define it. The poets most similar to him therefore belong to this movement of the late 19th century .
Arthur Rimbaud: This is the most obvious parallel , not only because of their personal and tumultuous relationship, but also because of their mutual influence. While Rimbaud’s style is more daring and radical in its quest for a new poetic language, he shares with Verlaine a sensitivity for exploring the human soul and a break with Parnassian poetry.
Stéphane Mallarmé : Often considered the theoretician of symbolism, Mallarmé shared with Verlaine a cult of the music of words. Both sought to ” suggest” rather than “name,” to create an atmosphere through rhythm and sound. However, Mallarmé ‘s style is much more hermetic and elitist than Verlaine’s, which remains more accessible and lyrical.
Charles Baudelaire: Although Baudelaire was a precursor (died in 1867), he is the spiritual father of the Symbolists. Verlaine venerated him as a master . In both poets we find a sensitivity for spleen, melancholy , the duality between the ideal and decline , as well as a quest for beauty in themes that may seem unexpected. Their verses, rich in correspondences and images, have a singular musicality .
Outside of this circle of “accursed poets ” , we could also cite other figures of symbolism who share with Verlaine a certain lyricism and melancholy, such as Tristan Corbière or Jules Laforgue.
Poetic work
Paul Verlaine’s poetic work is rich and varied, spanning several decades. His collections mark important stages in his life and artistic development, from his beginnings influenced by Parnassus to his symbolist and mystical maturity.
Here is a list of the main collections of poems by Paul Verlaine:
Poems of Saturn (1866): This is his first collection. It reflects the influence of Parnassus, but also a melancholy and musicality that were already Verlaine ‘s trademarks.
Fêtes galantes (1869): Inspired by 18th century painting , particularly the works of Antoine Watteau, this collection is imbued with delicate lyricism and poetic fantasies.
La Bonne Chanson (1870): This is a collection of love poems dedicated to his fiancée , then young wife, Mathilde Mauté. The tone is sincere and luminous.
Romances sans paroles (1874): Written during her affair with Arthur Rimbaud and her imprisonment, this collection is an expression of poetic impressionism. The poems , often short, seek to ” suggest” emotions and landscapes through the music of words. It is here that we find the famous poem ” Il pleure dans mon cœur …”.
Wisdom (1881): Composed largely during his time in prison, this collection is a testament to Verlaine’s conversion to Catholicism. It is marked by a deep religiosity and a return to more classical forms.
Jadis et nagu è re (1884): This collection brings together old and new poems , including the famous ” Art poétique”, which is often considered a manifesto of symbolism with its famous formula : “Music before all things” .
Love (1888): This collection marks a return to love poetry .
Parallel (1889 ) : This is a collection that explores more complex and sometimes taboo themes for the time, such as sensuality and homosexuality .
Happiness (1891): It reflects the lyricism and spirituality of the end of his life.
for Her (1891): This collection is dedicated to feminine sensuality .
In addition to these major collections, Verlaine published other poetic works, such as Dédicaces, Femmes, Liturgies intimes, Él égies , Dans les limbes, and Chair. He was also the author of prose essays, such as Les Poètes maudits (1884), in which he highlights figures such as Rimbaud, Mallarmé , and Corbière , and wrote autobiographies and novels.
Po è mes saturniens
Poèmes saturniens is Paul Verlaine’s first collection, self-published in 1866, when he was only 22 years old. This early collection, although often considered a bridge between Parnassus and Symbolism, already bears within it the essential characteristics of Verlainian poetry.
The title and its symbolism
The title of the collection refers to the planet Saturn , which, according to astrological tradition, governs melancholic and unhappy beings . Verlaine thus follows in the footsteps of the figure of the ” accursed poet ” , of which Charles Baudelaire is the great model . Saturnians are tormented souls , with a dark mood, and this collection is the perfect illustration.
A work of transition
Through the poems in this collection, we perceive the influences that shaped Verlaine ‘s sensitivity :
Parnassus: The influence of the Parnassus school, which advocated art for art’s sake and formal rigor, is very present . The verses are often neat and the rhymes rich.
Romanticism: The collection is imbued with great melancholy and heightened sensitivity , a direct legacy of Romanticism.
Symbolism: Above all, Poèmes saturniens already announces symbolism . The musicality of the verses, the importance of sensations and the suggestion of emotions are traits that will be developed in his later collections. The landscapes are not simple settings, but the mirror of the poet’s states of mind .
Emblematic themes and poems
The collection is structured into sections, each exploring a facet of this saturnine melancholy:
“Melancholia”: This section includes famous poems such as “My Familiar Dream ” and “Nevermore,” in which the poet expresses deep nostalgia and the pain of past loves .
“Eaux-Fortes”: These poems are like engravings, fine-line sketches, describing scenes from Parisian life or landscapes.
“Sad Landscapes”: This section illustrates the osmosis between nature and emotions. The most famous poem of the collection, “Autumn Song,” is found in this section. It symbolizes melancholy and the passing of time, with a musicality that would become a trademark of Verlaine.
“Caprices”: This section offers a more satirical and light tone , with poems like “Monsieur Prudhomme”, where Verlaine mocks the bourgeoisie.
Po è mes saturniens is a founding work which lays the foundations of Verlaine’s poetry: a poetry of emotion, nuance and musicality, which moves away from the rigid codes of its time to embark on the path of modernity .
Celebrate your gallants
Fêtes galantes, published in 1869, is Paul Verlaine’s second collection . It is a short work but of great importance in his career, because it marks a clearer break with the Parnassian heritage of his beginnings (in Poèmes saturniens ) and affirms his taste for musicality, suggestion and subtle atmospheres, thus fully prefiguring symbolism.
Inspiration and references
century painting , particularly the work of Antoine Watteau. The “fêtes galantes ” are a pictorial genre that features elegant , masked characters from the commedia dell’arte (Harlequin, Pierrot, Columbine, etc.), evolving in idealized parks and gardens . Verlaine transposes this visual universe into poetry. However, he does not simply reproduce it: he infuses it with his own melancholy .
Themes and atmosphere
Through the twenty-two poems in the collection, Verlaine explores several themes :
Romantic Flirting: The characters engage in games of seduction, light conversations , and fleeting love affairs. It is a world of appearances, masks, and disguises, where feelings are not always what they seem .
Melancholy and Sadness: Behind the pomp and frivolity of the “festivities , ” a deep sadness is felt. The characters are “almost / Sad under their fanciful disguises,” and love, far from being simple happiness, is marked by regret, nostalgia, and disillusionment .
The connection between landscape and state of mind : Verlaine excels at making nature a mirror of his characters’ psychology. The moonlight, the solitary park, and the weeping fountains are not mere settings, but reflections of the poet’s feelings and his creations.
Verlaine’s style in full affirmation
It is in Fêtes Galantes that Verlaine’s style fully flourishes.
Musicality : The search for musicality is essential. The verses are often short, the rhythms delicate, and the sounds create a dreamlike and vaporous atmosphere .
Suggestion and Imprecision: Rather than describing, Verlaine suggests . The contours are blurred, the colors are soft, and the emotions are expressed through nuances and halftones.
Dissonance: Verlaine introduces a dissonance between the festive setting and the underlying melancholy, creating a feeling of strangeness and unrest.
Emblematic poems
The collection contains several of Verlaine’s most famous poems, which perfectly illustrate these themes :
“Moonlight”: This opening poem is a small marvel that sums up the aesthetic of the collection. It presents a “chosen” landscape where masks and bergamasques, music, dance and sadness mingle .
“Sentimental Colloquium”: This poignant poem depicts two ghostly lovers , remembering their past love. It is a disenchanted dialogue that illustrates the end of love and oblivion.
“In silence”: This poem is an invitation to love in silence and nature, a haven of peace that opposes the agitation of the world.
In short, Fêtes Galantes is a collection in which the lightness of form and the delicacy of motifs conceal a profound melancholy. It marks a crucial stage in the evolution of French poetry and makes Verlaine a master of the poetry of emotion and suggestion.
Romance without words
Romances sans paroles, published in 1874, is a collection of poems by Paul Verlaine. It is one of his most personal and emblematic works, as it fully embodies the aesthetic of Symbolism and marks a definitive break with Parnassus. The title itself is a direct reference to the Lieder ohne Worte (songs without words) of the composer Felix Mendelssohn, which underlines the importance of music for Verlaine.
The context
Most of the poems in this collection were written during Verlaine’s travels in England and Belgium with Arthur Rimbaud. This period of his life was particularly tumultuous , marked by wanderings, arguments, reunions, and excesses . The collection reflects the poet’s state of mind , a mixture of dazzlement, grief, and nostalgia, and is a mirror of his passionate and destructive relationship with Rimbaud.
A poetry of suggestion
Verlaine would later explain his vision of poetry in his famous poem “Art poétique , ” but Romances sans paroles is already its perfect embodiment. The goal is no longer to describe or narrate, but to suggest emotions and impressions through the music of words. Verlaine seeks a poetry of the indefinite, the vague, the “almost” and the “perhaps . ” The meaning of words fades in favor of their sound, their rhythm, and their melody .
Themes and structure
The collection is divided into four sections, each a poetic journal of the poet ‘s states of mind :
“Forgotten Ariettes”: This section is the most famous of the collection. It contains poetry of evocation and memory. The poem ” Il pleure dans mon cœur,” perhaps the best known, combines a rainy landscape with a deep melancholy. The emotion is diffuse, the boredom is without cause, and the poet only notes this.
“Belgian Landscapes”: Verlaine describes here the landscapes he crossed, but they are above all the mirror of his feelings and his change of scenery.
“Birds in the Night”: The poems in this section are darker, reflecting the poet’s anguish .
“Watercolors”: As the name suggests, this section is a series of short, impressionistic poems, where colors and fleeting sensations are highlighted. Verlaine’s paintings are made of halftones, changing lights, and blurs.
The emblematic poems
Beyond “He Weeps in My Heart,” the collection contains other masterpieces of Verlaine’s poetic impressionism. The poem ” The Piano Kissed by a Fragile Hand ” is a perfect illustration of his quest for musicality , where sound and music are at the heart of the poem .
In short, Romances sans paroles is a milestone in the history of French poetry . It is the work in which Verlaine succeeds in creating a poetry of pure sensation, a poetry that reads like a musical score and that expresses the inexpressible nature of human emotions.
Work outside poetry
Paul Verlaine, although primarily known for his poetry , also left a significant body of prose, which provides valuable insight into his life, his thoughts on art, and his contemporaries. His non-poetic writings are often autobiographical, critical, or journalistic in nature.
Here are Verlaine’s main prose works:
Essays and reviews
Les Poètes Maudits (1884): This is his most famous and influential prose work . In this essay, Verlaine highlights six poets whom he considers to be misunderstood and marginal geniuses: Tristan Corbières , Arthur Rimbaud, Stéphane Mallarmé , Marceline Desbordes-Valmore, Auguste Villiers de l’Isle-Adam, and himself under the pseudonym “Pauvre Lelian ” (an anagram of his name). He thus creates the myth of the “accursed poet , ” a figure who broke with his time and its conventions, whose suffering and marginality are inseparable from his genius .
The Men of Today (1886): This is a series of literary and critical portraits of his contemporaries. These texts, often written for magazines, reflect his vision of the literary world of the time and his artistic affinities.
Autobiographical works
Verlaine wrote extensively about his own life, including his time in prison and hospital , as well as his travels. These writings, often fragmentary and published in journals, were later collected :
My Hospitals ( 1891): Account of his stays in various Parisian hospitals .
My Prisons (1893): A testimony about his years of incarceration, particularly after the Rimbaud affair.
Confessions (1895): His most accomplished autobiography, which traces the main lines of his life.
Fictions
Although less famous , Verlaine also wrote some works of fiction, including short stories.
Memoirs of a Widower (1886)
Louise Leclercq (1886)
Stories Like That (1888-1890)
These prose works, although not as renowned as his poetry, are essential for understanding the complexity of Verlaine, his suffering, his convictions and his place in the literary world of the late 19th century.
Episodes and anecdotes
Paul Verlaine led a life as tumultuous as his poetry, marked by incidents, ruptures and marginality that have nourished his legend . 🎭
The Rimbaud Affair and the Pistol Shot
The most famous episode in Verlaine’s life is undoubtedly his relationship with Arthur Rimbaud. After abandoning his wife, Mathilde Mauté, to follow the young poet , their affair was a succession of wanderings in Paris, London, and Brussels. On July 10, 1873, while they were in Brussels, a violent argument broke out. Verlaine, under the influence of alcohol, fired two pistol shots at Rimbaud, slightly wounding his wrist. He was arrested and sentenced to two years in prison. It was during this incarceration that his poetry took on a more mystical and religious turn, as evidenced by the collection Sagesse.
The life of a “po è te maudit”
After his release from prison, Verlaine led an increasingly precarious life. He was both celebrated by literary circles for his genius and rejected by society for his morals and alcoholism. He constantly wandered, living off the generosity of his friends and admirers. His silhouette, recognizable by his broad forehead and small stature, became a familiar and picturesque figure in the Latin Quarter. His precariousness was such that he often ended his life in hospitals , where he was sometimes interned for his excesses .
The election of the “Prince of Poets ”
In 1894, after the death of Leconte de Lisle, Verlaine was elected “Prince of Poets ” by his peers, among whom were many Symbolists and Decadents who considered him a master . This official recognition, which contrasted with his miserable and marginal life, symbolized the victory of his poetry over the morals of the bourgeois society of the time. This marked the end of a poetic era and the triumph of Symbolism over Parnassus.
(This article was generated by Gemini. And it’s just a reference document for discovering poet and poetries you don’t know yet.)
List of notes on poets and periods of poetry
(Français, Deutsch, English, Español, Italiano)
List of Poetry Translations
(English, Français, Español, Italiano, Deutsch, Nederlands, Svenska)