A Former Life
by Charles Baudelaire
Long since, I lived beneath vast porticoes,
By many ocean-sunsets tinged and fired,
Where mighty pillars, in majestic rows,
Seemed like basaltic caves when day expired.The rolling surge that mirrored all the skies
Mingled its music, turbulent and rich,
Solemn and mystic, with the colours which
The setting sun reflected in my eyes.And there I lived amid voluptuous calms,
In splendours of blue sky and wandering wave,
Tended by many a naked, perfumed slave,Who fanned my languid brow with waving palms.
They were my slaves–the only care they had
To know what secret grief had made me sad.
Summary of A Former Life
- Popularity of “A Former Life”: Tinged with nostalgia, this beautiful and short poem by Charles Baudelaire, a notable French poet, first appeared in 1852. It was published in The Flowers of Evil in 1852. It again appeared in the post-death period of the poet. The poem presents a peep into the former life of the poet. However, its popularity lies in the simple presentation of a scene from the past and the nostalgia of the poet.
- “A Former Life” As a Representative of Nostalgia of the Past Life: The poet, who is also the speaker, widens the scope of his imagination and takes into account his past residence, saying he used to live on the seashore under the vast porticos with mighty pillars. The scene he presents is of the majestic rows with a view like that of the long caves. The poet further outlines this scene saying that the waves were like mirrors tinged with the music and colors of the reflection of the sunlight. The natural beauty brings the poet to the point where he thinks that calm has voluptuousness amid the bule sky and “wandering waves.” The poet feels sad that once all of these were his slaves and used to take care of him but now he feels their loss. This feeling of nostalgia for his past life makes him sad.
- Major Themes in “A Former Life”: The power of imagination, memory of the past, and nostalgic sadness pervade the poem. The poet presents his former life on the seashore, outlining the beauty and the luxury of that life. He states that he used to sit under the vast porticos at the time of sunsets. It all seems to have an ancient aura with mystical music and natural colors. Yet, when he takes into account this past memory, he feels that all these natural or otherwise elements were at his beck and call, but now they are no more. They used to take care of his secret grief, but now he is all alone, recalling those moments.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in A Former Life
Charles Baudelaire demonstrates his skill in using various literary devices. Some of the major literary devices are analyzed below.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of /i/ in “Where might pillars in majestic rows” and the sound of /a/ in “And there I lived amid voluptuous calms.”
- Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession such as the sound of /w/ in “with waving” or “wandering wave” or as /s/ in “setting sun.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /t/ in “The setting sun reflected in my eyes” and the sound of /d/ in “Tended by many a naked, perfumed slaves.”
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;
Who fanned my languid brow with waving palms.
They were my slaves–the only care they had
To know what secret grief had made me sad.
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Charles Baudelaire has used imagery in this poem such as “By many ocean-sunsets tinged and fired”, “The rolling surge that mirrored all the skies” and “The setting sun reflected in my eyes.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects that are different in nature. The writer has used natural elements as a metaphor, calling them “naked, perfumed slaves.”
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem shows symbols like the ocean, waves, skies, and music to show the natural life of the poet.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in A Former Life
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- End Rhyme: End rhyme is used to make the stanza melodious. Charles Baudelaire has used end rhyme in this poem such as porticoes and rows and fired and expired.”
- Quatrain: A quatrain is a four-lined stanza borrowed from Persian poetry. Here each of the first two stanzas are quatrain.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the ABAB rhyme scheme in the first stanza, ABCB in the second, and ABB in the last two three-lined stanzas. This irregularity is due to its being the translation of the original French.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are four stanzas in this poem, with the first two comprising four verses each and the last two comprising three verses each.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are useful when describing the coastal beauty.
Long since, I lived beneath vast porticoes,
By many ocean-sunsets tinged and fired,
Where mighty pillars, in majestic rows,
Seemed like basaltic caves when day expired.