The Offended Moon
The Offended Moon by Charles Pierre Baudelaire is a poem that explores the themes of beauty, decay, and the transience of life. The poem describes the moon as an offended deity who has been neglected and ignored by humanity. Despite its beauty and power, the moon has been reduced to a mere reflection of itself in the eyes of mortals. The poem laments the loss of the moon's former glory and the way it has been replaced by the mundane and the trivial. Through its use of vivid imagery and rich symbolism, the poem conveys a sense of longing and melancholy for something that has been lost forever.
By Charles Pierre Baudelaire · First published 1857 · Genre: Poetry, Symbolism, Romanticism · 157 words
First lines
O moon, O lamp of hill and secret dale! Thou whom our fathers, ages out of mind, Worshipped in thy blue heaven, whilst behind Thy stars streamed after thee a glittering trail,
Dost see the poet, weary-eyed and pale, Or lovers on their happy beds reclined, Showing white teeth in sleep, or vipers twined, 'Neath the dry sward; or in a golden veil
Stealest thou with faint footfall o'er the grass As of old, to kiss from twilight unto dawn The faded charms of thine Endymion? .
"O child of this sick century, I see Thy grey-haired mother leering in her glass And plastering the breast that suckled thee! "
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The Offended Moon is listed on Textopian as a poem by Charles Pierre Baudelaire, dated 1857 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- Date: 1857 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Symbolism, Romanticism, Gothic, Modernism
- Length: 157 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Similar titles
- The Favours Of The Moon by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- A Chant by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- A Memorial F T by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- The Gifts Of The Moon by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- An Allegory by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- The Irreparable by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
Genres
- Poetry — Charles Baudelaire is a well-known French poet, and 'The Offended Moon' is one of his poetic works. Therefore, the genre of poetry is the most relevant category.
- Symbolism — Baudelaire's works, including 'The Offended Moon', are often associated with the Symbolist movement, which relies on symbols and metaphors to convey complex emotions and states of mind.
- Romanticism — Baudelaire is often linked with the Romantic literary movement, which focuses on emotion, imagination and individualism - themes that can be found in 'The Offended Moon'.
- Gothic — Themes of the grotesque and morbid that can be found in 'The Offended Moon' align with the Gothic tradition of literature.
Tags
poetry · symbolism · romanticism · French literature · 19th century · melancholy · nature · urban life · existentialism · beauty · art · imagination