The Flowers of Evil

The Flowers of Evil (Les Fleurs du mal) is a landmark poetry collection by French poet Charles Baudelaire, first published in 1857. The poems explore themes like beauty, sin, death, love, and the complexities of human emotion. Baudelaire blends the sensual with the spiritual and often contrasts the ideal with the real. His use of rich imagery and symbolism marked a shift toward modernist poetry. Though controversial for its erotic and dark content, the collection became highly influential in literary circles. It remains a powerful reflection of 19th-century urban life and inner psychological struggles, capturing both despair and beauty.