Analysis of Correspondences by Baudelaire This poem by Baudelaire is addressing

communication between the metaphysical world and nature. It also scratches on the
surface of symbolism between self and others. When you read it at first, it may seem
confusing as a result of the conflicting presence of corruption and triumph. Baudelaire
discloses the connection between metaphysical world and nature with direct reference to
the concept of Swedenborg. Emanuel Swedenborg was a Swedish scientist and a mystic.
He is famous for his Neuron Concept as well as for his interpretation of dreams. He
experienced several kinds of dreams and visions; some were pleasant and others
disturbing. He recorded his experiences in Regnum Animale and his Journal of Dreams and
when you read these works, like Baudelaire, you will immediately feel the battle between
the love of self and the love of God. Baudelaire, like Swedenborg, had a condition called
Synaesthesia where the brain mingles the sensory perceptions. The colours, sounds and
scents get all mixed up. They are bundled together to generate mental images. The senses
are sometimes stimulated through the mind’s eyes. Baudelaire is transferring the French
symbolism of art and nature on to the reader. For example, in the lines such as “corrupted,
rich, triumphant, full; perfumes, colours, sound; Frankincense, musk, ambergris,
Benjamin”, Baudelaire is using the rhetorical device of `asyndeton’ for pulling off the
dramatic effect. It suggests the infinite list of sensory experiences that the reader can
relate to. These ongoing lists are metaphorical and they connect the senses to oneself.
These lines also reflect parallelism where all worlds get related to the meaning of the poem
as a whole and to the symbolism behind it. The sensory experience also gets connected to
the metaphysical significance. Hypo-zeugma can be identified in technical literary terms in
the line with “perfumes, colours, sounds”. They correspond with each other and these
perceptions are developed throughout the entire poem with interrelated examples. This is
a poem about the unity of nature and human perceptions about multiple worlds. You can
become aware of such unity at some rare moments in the poem. This happens when you
lose the ordinary state of mind and when you no longer separate yourself from your
surroundings. Ecstasy is derived when you stand outside yourself in a trancelike state. This
altered state of consciousness is not induced from within and not by any superfluous
induced state through hallucinogenic drugs. Baudelaire was very fond of works by Thomas
De Quincy and Edgar Allan Poe because of their dreamlike stories and poems. It is
important for you to know that Baudelaire was also fond of hashish and marijuana. He
achieved those hallucinogenic states for the sake of writing. He was also influenced by
Emanuel Swedenborg’s mystical writings by emphasising on the oneness of the devotees
to attain unity with God. The antithesis is present in the poem with the contrast of
`corrupted’ yet `triumphant’ senses and the `confused speech’ of the columns; it may be
difficult to understand by few readers while others can crack the meanings behind the
lines. Singing the `rapture of the soul’ relates to the sensory experience of humans. The
`grove of symbols’ that is being walked through life is a metaphor for connection between
all things external to oneself. Everything that man experiences and perceives is a gateway
to the soul. The key is to observe everything and realise the connection between them. The
`temple of nature’ and the `grove of symbols’ in which man walks is seen metaphorically
to the relation of the body (temple which houses the soul) to what surrounds it. The use of
Literary technique `chiaroscuro’ is seen when the unity of the profound and shadowy
echoes is used - as `vast as the night, as sunlight’s clarity’, comparing day and night to the
merging of senses. Synaesthesia is being used throughout the poem with `long echoes’
and `living columns’ that breathe `confusing speech’ with `perfumes, colours and
sounds’ corresponding with `odours’ that are `fresh as a baby’s skin’; with `green
meadows’ and mellow oboes’ (oboes are a wind and reed instruments like shehnai). To
conclude, Baudelaire’s poem is a symbolic representation of the connection of self to its
surroundings with the constant use of metaphors and esoteric language. It is an adequate
reflection of rhetorical devices, poetic chiaroscuro and synaesthesia to take the reader
through a journey into nature’s correspondences with human consciousness.

Albatross poem

One of the most obvious themes is that of beauty and cruelty. The albatross is a symbol of
beauty and freedom, but the sailors' treatment of it is cruel and violent. Baudelaire seems
to be suggesting that human beings have a tendency to destroy what they cannot
understand or control, even if it is something beautiful and majestic.

Another theme is that of human nature. The poem draws a parallel between the sailors and
the albatross, suggesting that both are subject to the same laws of nature and fate. The
sailors, who were once proud and free, have become "vulgar and ignoble." This seems to
be a commentary on the corrupting influence of power and authority, and the way in which
they can strip people of their dignity and humanity.

The image of the albatross soaring back into the sky at the end of the poem is perhaps the
most powerful and uplifting moment. It suggests that beauty and freedom are ultimately
more enduring and powerful than cruelty and violence. The sailors may have captured the
bird and brought it down to their level, but they cannot keep it there. The albatross will
always rise again, a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "The Albatross" is a poem of great beauty, complexity, and depth. Its
exploration of themes such as beauty, cruelty, and human nature make it a timeless work
of literature, one that continues to resonate with readers across generations. Baudelaire's
use of language, imagery, and symbolism is masterful, and his ability to subvert traditional
poetic forms adds to the poem's power and impact. Whether read as a commentary on the
human condition or simply enjoyed for its evocative imagery and language, "The Albatross"
is a true masterpiece of French poem

.The albatross is among the most graceful and effortless fliers of all seabirds. It can glide in
the wind
for hours, never flapping its wings. However, in calm weather, it tires easily because of its
large body. At
such times, it frequently lands on the ocean to rest.
.......Albatrosses, which have webbed feet and a hooked beak, range mainly in the cool air
of southern
oceans and the northern Pacific. Although they spend most of their time in the air, they
land on islands to
breed and nest. On land, they are clumsy walkers and even trip on their own feet.

In the first two stanzas of the poem, Baudelaire uses the plural of the French words
for albatross and bird. For example, he uses des albatros (some albatrosses) and oixeaux
(birds) in line 2.
In the last two stanzas, he uses the singular to refer to the bird. For example, in line 9 he
uses ce
voyageur (this voyager) and il est (he is).
.......To amuse themselves, sailors often capture albatrosses, the large sea birds that lazily
follow a ship
gliding over the bitter ocean depths. After the crewmen take control of them on the deck,
these humiliated
kings of the azure skies drop their great white wings, like the oars of a boat, as they move
about clumsily.
.......How awkward and feckless this winged voyager seems! Only a moment before, he
was majestic and
beautiful as he soared. Now he is ugly and laughable.
.......One man pokes a pipe at his beak to bedevil him. Another mimics his ungainly walk.
.......The poet is like this prince of the highest skies. He too soars through storm clouds and
laughs at the
archer drawing his bowstring. But on earth, he is an exile among the hooting crowds. His
great wings
prevent him from walking.

Themes
The Beautiful Ugliness of Life
.......When it glides across the skies, the albatross is stunningly graceful and beautiful. But
when its webbed
feet touch down on earth—or on a human creation such as a ship—it walks clumsily, like a
staggering
drunk, and becomes the object of ridicule. When the poet writes inspired verses that soar
heavenward,
their grace and beauty charm the literate and cultured reader. But when the poet touches
ground and puts
his work in the hands of the common people, they think it walks with a staggered gait. The
poet becomes
like the albatross: ridiculed, laughed at, ugly.
Cruelty
.......There are those who ignore the goodness of a man or a woman (or an animal) and
focus on the bad
in order to vent their cruelty through ridicule and mockery. Some people delight in finding
flaws in a writer,
a painter, an opera star, a neighbor, a boss, a politician, a clergyman, and so on. They
mercilessly criticize
those flaws or gossip about a person's private iniquities. The sailors in "The Albatross" are
examples of
such cruel people