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Charles Baudelaire Facts & Worksheets

Charles Baudelaire is one of the most compelling poets of the 19th century with his unprecedented expression of a complex sensibility and of modern themes within structures of classical rigor and technical artistry.

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Charles Baudelaire is one of the most compelling poets of the 19th century with his unprecedented expression of a complex sensibility and of modern themes within structures of classical rigor and technical artistry.

See the fact file below for more information on the Charles Baudelaire or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Charles Baudelaire worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Early Life

  • Charles Baudelaire was born on April 9, 1821, in Paris, France to François and Caroline Baudelaire.
  • His father, a senior civil servant and an amateur artist, died in 1827. His mother later married Lieutenant Colonel Jacques Aupick who then rose as a prominent ambassador.
  • The young Baudelaire pursued law at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand. Sadly, he grew dissatisfied with this path and began to drink daily and run up considerable debts.
  • In 1839 he graduated and obtained a law degree but chose not to practice; he instead pursued a career in literature.
  • This decision greatly upset his mother. In 1841 Lieutenant Aupick sent Baudelaire on a voyage to India in an attempt to redirect the young man’s energy. The themes of sea, sailing, and exotic ports that appeared in Baudelaire’s later poetry were largely inspired by this experience.
  • Baudelaire returned to Paris a few years later and established friendships with other emerging authors and artists. He also began a lifelong relationship with Jeanne Duval which received extreme disapproval of his parents (which later resulted in Baudelaire’s attempted suicide).

Literary Beginnings

  • Baudelaire began to publish his writing in the form of an art review in 1845, which gained immediate attention. Many of his critiques, including his praise of Delacroix, were bold and prophetic. The next year, he wrote his second art review, building his reputation as an advocate of the Romantic movement.
  • Baudelaire’s success were cramped as he struggled with poor health and increased debts throughout his adult life. He frequently fled his home in Paris to escape creditors, making it challenging to commit himself to a certain project.
  • However, he did manage to produce translations of stories by Edgar Allan Poe, whose work he greatly admired. He was also able to start working on poetry, for which he would eventually achieve success.

Literary Works

  • Baudelaire published his first and most famed volume of poems in 1857, Les Fleurs du mal (“The Flowers of Evil”), which drew a small but enthusiastic audience.
  • The essential themes of the masterpiece were sex and death. The poems also touch on homosexuality, metamorphosis, depression, corruption, lost innocence, and alcohol. The volume created a public scandal.
  • Baudelaire, together with his publisher and book printer were questioned in court for an offense against public morality. Six poems in the volume were stamped out. Prominent personalities, including Gustave Flaubert and Victor Hugo, rallied behind the emerging writer and condemned this decision.
  • The Flowers of Evil helped create an appreciation for new literary artforms, bring controversial issues out of the dark, and start a surge for truth and impressionism among writers and readers.
  • Baudelaire next worked on a translation of Thomas de Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium Eater. It was later followed by Petits Poemes en prose (“Small Prose Poems”) and a critical study of Flaubert, Théophile Gautier and Balzac.

Final Years

  • By 1859, Baudelaire’s health started to deteriorate from chronic illness brought on by stress and his long-term use of laudanum, a form of opium.
  • Baudelaire decided to live with his mother for a period of time toward the end of his life, and was able to write the poem Le Voyage, among other works. However, his financial difficulties drove him to leave. In 1864, he fled to Belgium, hoping to earn enough money to pay off his debts.
  • In 1866, Baudelaire suffered a massive stroke and spent his final months in Brussels and Paris, where he died on August 31, 1867, and was buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery.
  • Many of his works were published posthumously, allowing his mother to resolve his unpaid debts.

Charles Baudelaire Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Charles Baudelaire across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Charles Baudelaire worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Charles Baudelaire who is one of the most compelling poets of the 19th century with his unprecedented expression of a complex sensibility and of modern themes within structures of classical rigor and technical artistry.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Authors Online
  • Pop Quiz
  • According to Charles
  • Poem for the Poet
  • Baudelaire’s Beliefs
  • Judge by the Cover
  • Un Appel
  • Charles’ Clique
  • Charles’ Challenges
  • The Romantics

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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