The Generous Gambler
The Generous Gambler is a collection of poems by Charles Pierre Baudelaire, one of the most influential French poets of the 19th century. The poems explore themes of love, death, and the human condition, and are written in a style that is both lyrical and philosophical. The collection is divided into two parts. The first part, “The Gambler”, is a series of poems about gambling and its effects on the human soul. Baudelaire examines the idea of chance and fate, and how they can shape our lives. He also looks at the idea of luck and how it can be both a blessing and a curse. The second part, “The Generous Gambler”, is a series of poems about love and relationships. Baudelaire explores the idea of love as a game, and how it can be both rewarding and dangerous. He also looks at the idea of love as a form of gambling, and how it can lead to both joy and sorrow. The Generous Gambler is a powerful and thought-provoking collection of poems that will leave readers with much to ponder. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the works of Charles Pierre Baudelaire.
By Charles Pierre Baudelaire · First published 1867 · Genre: Romance, Fiction, Drama · 1,176 words
First lines
Yesterday, across the crowd of the boulevard, I found myself touched by a mysterious Being I had always desired to know, and whom I recognized immediately, in spite of the fact that I had never seen him. He had, I imagined, in himself, relatively as to me, a similar desire, for he gave me, in passing, so significant a sign in his eyes that I hastened to obey him. I followed him attentively, and soon I descended behind him into a subterranean dwelling, astonishing to me as a vision, where shone a luxury of which none of the actual houses in Paris could give me an approximate example. It seemed to me singular that I had passed so often that prodigious retreat without having discovered the entrance. There reigned an exquisite, an almost stifling atmosphere, which made one forget almost instantaneously all the fastidious horrors of life; there I breathed a somber sensuality, like that of opium smokers when, set on the shore of an enchanted island over which shone an eternal afternoon, they felt born in them, to the soothing sounds of melodious cascades, the desire of never again seeing their households, their women, their children, and of never again being tossed on the decks of ships by storms.
What this Textopian page supports
The Generous Gambler is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charles Pierre Baudelaire, dated 1867 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- Date: 1867 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Fiction, Drama, Realism, Romanticism
- Length: 1,176 words
- Structure: 1 section, 35 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
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- Work identity for The Generous Gambler by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Generous Gambler?
- How does this short story by Charles Pierre Baudelaire fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Romance first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Romance — The Generous Gambler is a story of love and sacrifice, as the protagonist gambles away his fortune in order to win the heart of his beloved.
- Fiction — The Generous Gambler is a work of fiction, as it is a story that is not based on real events or people.
- Drama — The Generous Gambler is a dramatic story, as it follows the protagonist's journey of love and loss.
- Realism — The Generous Gambler is a realistic story, as it is written in a style that is true to life and captures the emotions of the characters.
Tags
gambling · generosity · philosophy · poetry · existentialism · human nature · morality · risk · urban life · French literature · Baudelaire · art