That which is not slightly distorted lacks sensible appeal; from which it follows that irregularity β that is to say, the unexpected, surprise and astonishment, are a essential part and characteristic of beauty.
Charles BaudelaireRead
It is the hour to be drunken! to escape being the martyred slaves of time, be ceaselessly drunk. On wine, on poetry, or on virtue, as you wish.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote encourages embracing indulgence to escape the burdens of time.
Charles Baudelaire's quote emphasizes the importance of finding joy and escape from life's demands through various forms of intoxication, whether they be physical (like wine), creative (like poetry), or moral (like virtue). The urgency of living fully and passionately is captured in the idea that one should always be 'drunk' on something that brings happiness and meaning, rather than succumbing to the monotony of time and lifeβs hardships.
Themes
IndulgenceEscapismJoyLifeTime
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can serve as a great opener for a discussion at a literary gathering about the role of art in escaping reality.
More from Charles Baudelaire
All quotes βThe dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs.
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Who among us has not dreamt, in moments of ambition, of the miracle of a poetic prose, musical without rhythm and rhyme, supple and staccato enough to adapt to the lyrical stirrings of the soul, the undulations of dreams, and sudden leaps of consciousness.
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There is no sweeter pleasure than to surprise a man by giving him more than he hopes for.
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The priest is an immense being because he makes the crowd believe astonishing things.
Charles BaudelaireRead
I consider it useless and tedious to represent what exists, because nothing that exists satisfies me. Nature is ugly, and I prefer the monsters of my fancy to what is positively trivial.
Charles BaudelaireRead
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