The Prose Poems and La Fanfarlo (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

Charles Baudelaire (Author), Rosemary Lloyd (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 6, 1991 | Series: Oxford World's Classics

Although best known for his collection of poetry, Les Fleurs du Mal , Baudelaire was also a gifted and inventive prose writer. In combining certain of the restrictions of poetic form with the freedom of prose, he sought a form of language capable of conveying the complexity, cacophony, and unexpected juxtapositions of city life. Like his verse, the prose poems are rich in psychological insights and reveal the ability both to select precisely those tiny details that raise the banal to the ironic and to create verbal patterns and rhythms that subtly underpin or throw into question the surface meaning of the language. This collection of all Baudelaire's prose poetry also includes the novella La Fanfarlo , a gently mocking study of love and passion that brilliantly evokes the art of dance. This book is intended for general; students from the 6th form upwards following courses on French literature and comparative literature.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Brilliant miniatures, at their best with the vividness of snapshots and the concentration of a sonnet.' The Observer --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (June 6, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192827030
• ISBN-13: 978-0192827036
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #841,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Baudelaire at fine consistency., February 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Prose Poems and La Fanfarlo (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)

What makes "La Fanfarlo"interesting is not so much for its depth but rather at the way it captures the bourgeoise flavor & appeal magnificently.Though it probes very well into human characteristics & nature vividly,it's realistic portrayal of that air of condescence & mannerisms which separate this class of society from the rest is nothing short of marvelous as it takes you to it's very world & initiates you if you are not aware.

The prose poems are the younger siblings of "The Flowers Of Evil".Though lacking in range & depth compared to the incomparable masterpiece,it nontheless elevates the reader into the emotional & intellectual mindscapes that the poet so accurately & efficiently defines.Truth & beauty go hand in hand inseparably well together,just as art & practicality give a slight glimpse into the life of a city from the point of a bitingly penetrating observer.