Fairy Tales And The Existential Predicament - Bruno Bettelheim

1. How might Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purposes of fairy tales?
Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purposes of fairytales in many ways. His ideas are represented in both fairytales and stories in The Bloody Chamber, for example in The Bloody Chamber (the title story) at the end the narrator is saved by her mother whereas in the fairy tale it was inspired by (Bluebeard) it is her brothers who save her. What Bettelheim is saying then is that all fairytales lead us to believe that it should always be the man that saves the day because he is superior and that women should not be involved in such things. Also he tells us that children need to have fairytales told to them to help socialize them into believing that it is okay to have bad thoughts. Without these tales, children would grow up naive and unaccustomed to the world. Fairytales are also read to children because then it allows the subtle teachings of what is right and wrong and who is right and wrong in the world, without the ability to tell children this and to help them to understand the big world they live then they would be very innocent and therefore not prepared enough to cope with daily life and what it has to offer.

2. How do Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purposes of gothic?
Bettelheim's ideas help us to understand the purposes of gothic in many ways. He leads us to believe that within everybody there is bad, and to repress the badness inside causes it to manifest on the outside. This can be directly applied to the genre of the gothic in many ways because it shows us, subtly, what could happen if the repressed badness comes to the surface. For example, The Bloody Chamber (a gothic text) shows us a lot of ways in which badness is exuded by bad people. The Marquis, even though perceived to be loving and doting from the Narrator's perspective in the first few pages, suddenly becomes this animalistic, leonine man that is controlling and has hints of necrophilia shown throughout his personality. Bettelheim has been able to pinpoint to us the fact that fairy tales are very important in the development of a human, and what a human should grow up to be and behave like. However the theory behind the fairy tales and also be directly related to the need of the gothic; the gothic manages to show it's audience the extreme ends of bad and good, with the use of the traditional stock characters of the 'Byronic Hero' and the 'Damsel in Distress' we are able to see the clear parallels of right and wrong, bad and good. Bettelheim also goes on to say that 'the fairy tale simplifies all situations', and whilst this can be true for the gothic there are also times at which the gothic can be twisted into being a lot more complicated than it appears. Most gothic tales, especially Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber, have more subliminal messages that are harder to grasp. So we could say that gothic tales are more so like the 'adult' version of these classic fairy tales that are read to us as children. We are told gothic stories to help us with our adult life and prepare us for the next steps in that journey.

3. Why do you think Angela Carter mixes the fairytale and gothic genres in 'The Bloody Chamber'?
Angela Carter's mix of both the gothic and the fairy tale genre show a clever technique of trying to make these classic stories more relatable for the modern audience. The traditional fairy tales that are read to us before we go to sleep have a sense of 'pristine' about them, the idealistic way of perceiving life (even though they cover dark subjects) and the fact that their dark nature seems sweeter to us as children. Even though we understand the morals at a young age, we only really perceive the 'perfection' in the stories and the beauty of the characters. However, what Carter has done is to show us how twisted these stories are; the fact that women were so repressed in the fact that they only seemed to be there to be a victim for the man to save. The original tales were written in a time where it was completely normal for the role of women to be very inferior and nobody within said society would bat an eyelid at this injustice. What Carter has done however, by mixing the two genres together she has managed to create a subversive look on the role of both man and woman. Seeing the issues that are within all of us and the temptations and desires that are normally repressed. The use of the gothic as well has made it possible for her to leave her stories open ended, with little understanding of the plot of her tales. Her fragmented writing structure that is used throughout the text can be directly related to her use of both of these reality-defying genres. She seems to have had a brain wave with these tales and the endless possibilities of what these genres can do, and how they can make people think. 

The Tiger's Bride

Task One: Researching 

Andrea Mantegna
"Andrea Mantegna was an Italian painter, a student of Roman archaeology, and son in law of Jacopo Bellini. Like other artists of the time, Mantegna experimented with perspective, e.g., by lowering the horizon in order to create a sense of greater monumentality. His flinty, metallic landscapes and somewhat stony figures give evidence of a fundamentally sculptural approach to painting. He also led a workshop that was the leading producer of prints in Venice before 1500."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Mantegna]

Guilio Romana
"Giulio Romano (c. 1499 – 1 November 1546) was an Italian painter and architect. A pupil of Raphael, his stylistic deviations from high Renaissance classicism help define the 16th-century style known as Mannerism. Giulio's drawings have long been treasured by collectors; contemporary prints of them engraved by Marcantonio Raimondi were a significant contribution to the spread of 16th-century Italian style throughout Europe."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giulio_Romano]

Benvenuto Cellini 
"Benvenuto Cellini,  (born Nov. 1, 1500, Florence—died Feb. 13, 1571, Florence), Florentine sculptor, goldsmith, and writer, one of the most important Mannerist artists and, because of the lively account of himself and his period in his autobiography, one of the most picturesque figures of the Renaissance."

[source: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/101559/Benvenuto-Cellini]

Task Two: Glossary 

assuage - make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.

awry - away from the usual or expected course; amiss.

axium - a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true.

capisco (translate)  - means to see

ciliate - a single-celled animal of a large and diverse phylum distinguished by the possession of cilia or ciliary structures.

civet - a slender nocturnal carnivorous mammal with a barred and spotted coat and well-developed anal scent glands, native to Africa and Asia.

desnuda (translate)  -  nude, naked, bare

excoriating - damage or remove part of the surface of (the skin).

expostulating - express strong disapproval or disagreement.

eyrie - a large nest of an eagle or other bird of prey, built high in a tree or on a cliff.

gavotte - a medium-paced French dance, popular in the 18th century.

gracile  - (of a hominid species) of slender build.

megalomaniac - a person who has an obsessive desire for power.

metaphysical  - of or relating to things that are thought to exist but that cannot be seen

minuet - a slow, stately ballroom dance for two in triple time, popular especially in the 18th century.

molto agitato (translate) - very agitated

Nascent - (especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.

obsequiousness - marked by or exhibiting a fawning attentiveness

ostler - a man employed to look after the horses of people staying at an inn.

patina - 1. a green or brown film on the surface of bronze or similar metals, produced by oxidation over a long period.

             2.the impression or appearance of something.

preternatural - beyond what is normal or natural.

Profligate  - recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources.

settecento - the 18th cent. as a period in Italian art and literature

shagreen - harkskin used as a decorative material or, due to its natural rough surface of pointed scales, as an abrasive.

simian simulacra - An image or representation of someone or something:

soubrette - a minor female role in a comedy, typically that of a pert maidservant.

spar - a thick, strong pole such as is used for a mast or yard on a ship.

spurious - not being what it purports to be; false or fake.

tantivy - a rapid gallop or ride.

tintinnabulation - a ringing or tinkling sound.

viscera - the internal organs in the main cavities of the body, especially those in the abdomen, e.g. the intestines.

Basic Questions:

Describe the way Carter presents the ruby choker on page 6. Write a paragraph to practice word level analysis, ensuring you can examine a word or phrase in graphic detail. 

Carter describes the choker as being like an "extraordinary precious slit throat", this signifies that the narrator who is telling us this will be hurt in some way or at least threatened with something as graphic as a slit throat. This also foreshadows later events because the Marquis planned to kill the narrator by beheading her. The phrase that Carter decided to use shows that she believes this to be a 'precious' thing and believing that 'slit throat' is something to be admired shows that the narrator is incredibly naive to the situation she has found herself in. 

On page 7, the narrator describes herself as an ‘exile’ once married. What does this suggest? 

It shows that she believes that marriage signifies commitment and hiding away. She should no longer be finding herself a marriage because she has just got one. It shows that she believes that once you are married then you have to become the perfect wife and stay at home to bear children and look after the home environment.

On page 16, what seems to give the girl confidence and power once more? 

The girl gains more confidence when she realises that the Marquis is captivated by her innocence and naivety. She gains the courage that she didn't really feel before because of her unknowingness. She gains pleasure from the fact that the Marquis wants to show her how to live instead.

On page 33, how is the usual ‘hero’ structure altered? 

In a sense, the usual hero structure is put down as a male quality. Whereas in this case, we can see that the narrator gains even more power when she tells Jean-Yves to leave her and to "go back to your room," you could say that this shows the hero structure was altered because she is telling the man what to do. Highlighting the switch in gender qualities.

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Seven:

Essential Vocabulary:

aesthete - a person who is appreciative of and sensitive to art and beauty.
aigrette - a headdress consisting of a white egret's feather or other decoration such as a spray of gems.
avarice - extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
baroque - relating to or denoting a style of European architecture, music, and art of the 17th and 18th centuries that followed Mannerism and is characterized by ornate detail. In architecture the period is exemplified by the palace of Versailles and by the work of Wren in England. Major composers include Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel; Caravaggio and Rubens are important baroque artists.
bier - a movable frame on which a coffin or a corpse is placed before burial or cremation or on which they are carried to the grave.
billets-doux - a love letter.
carillon - a set of bells usually hung in a tower and played either by keys and pedals or mechanically.
carnal - relating to physical, especially sexual, needs and activities.
catafalque - a decorated wooden framework supporting the coffin of a distinguished person during a funeral or while lying in state.
chthonic - relating to or inhabiting the underworld.
dolorous - feeling or expressing great sorrow or distress.
eldritch - weird and sinister or ghostly.
enfer (translate the French) - hell or inferno
gourmand - a person who enjoys eating and often eats too much.
immolated - kill or offer as a sacrifice, especially by burning.
importunate - persistent, especially to the point of annoyance.
interdiction - a military term for the act of delaying, disrupting, or destroying enemy forces or supplies en route to the battle area. A distinction is often made between strategic and tactical interdiction.
jinn - a prostitute's client.
lisle - a fine, smooth cotton thread used especially for stockings.
loge - a private box or enclosure in a theatre.
loquacity - the quality of talking a great deal; talkativeness.
lustratory - 
missal - a book containing the texts used in the Catholic Mass throughout the year.
nacreous - having the lustre of mother-of-pearl
parure - a set of jewels intended to be worn together.
rictus - a fixed grimace or grin.
sacerdotal - the belief that propitiatory sacrifices for sin require the intervention of a priest. That is, it is the belief that a special, segregated order of men, called the priesthood, are the only ones who can commune directly with God or the gods. This system of the priesthood is exemplified by the priests in the Old Testament.
sadomasochistic - the derivation of pleasure from the infliction of physical or mental pain either on others or on oneself.
sardonic - grimly mocking or cynical.
trousseau - the clothes, linen, and other belongings collected by a bride for her marriage.
vellum - fine parchment made originally from the skin of a calf.
vicuna - the wool from the vicuña's fine lustrous undercoat
viscera - the internal organs in the main cavities of the body, especially those in the abdomen, e.g. the intestines.
voluptuary - a person devoted to luxury and sensual pleasure.

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Six:

The Bloody Chamber - Intertextual References

Bluebeard - The Myth:

"Bluebeard is the villain in a European folktale made famous by Charles Perrault in his tale Barbe bleue. According to the story, Bluebeard married several women, one after the other, and murdered each of them. He threw their bodies in a special room inside his castle. He married yet again and gave his new bride the keys to the castle, telling her that she might go anywhere in the castle except for that one room. While Bluebeard was away, however, his young wife's curiosity got the better of her and she opened the door to the forbidden room. There she discovered the remains of Bluebeard's previous wives. When Bluebeard returned, he realized that his wife had found out his secret and told her that she must prepare to die.

The story has several different endings. In one version, the young wife killed Bluebeard with his own sword. In another, her brothers came to her rescue and killed him. The theme of the story of Bluebeard—the penalty for being too curious—appears in the folktales of many countries."

[source: http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Be-Ca/Bluebeard.html]

The myth of Bluebeard is heavily seen in Angela Carter's first short story in The Bloody Chamber. However even though the story remains the same and the general essence of what Carter is telling us could be examined to be the same message as the folklore, you can also see it from the perspective that she is writing these short stories in a 'postmodern feminist gothic' context and even though the story is the same; at the end of the day she wants us to look deeper into it to see the story from her feminist way of thinking.

Mark of Cain:

"The nature of the mark on Cain has been the subject of much debate and speculation. The Hebrew word translated "mark" is 'owth and refers to a “mark, sign, or token.” Elsewhere in the Hebrew Scriptures, 'owth is used 79 times and is most frequently translated as "sign." So, the Hebrew word does not identify the exact nature of the mark God put on Cain. Whatever it was, it was a sign/indicator that Cain was not to be killed. Some propose that the mark was a scar, or some kind of tattoo. Whatever the case, the precise nature of the mark is not the focus of the passage. The focus is that God would not allow people to exact vengeance against Cain. Whatever the mark on Cain was, it served this purpose."

[source: http://www.gotquestions.org/mark-Cain.html]

The phrase Mark of Cain is used within the context of The Bloody Chamber, the narrator is said to have the Mark of Cain put upon her. From reading up about this it is clear to see that this mark that Carter refers to is a sign that the Marquis cannot kill her because he will "suffer vengeance seven times over", which is in fact the case because of the fact that he gets killed by the narrator's mother. 

Catherine de Medici:

"Some historians have excused Catherine from blame for the worst decisions of the crown, though evidence for her ruthlessness can be found in her letters. In practice, her authority was always limited by the effects of the civil wars. Her policies, therefore, may be seen as desperate measures to keep the Valois monarchy on the throne at all costs, and her patronage of the arts as an attempt to glorify a monarchy whose prestige was in steep decline. Without Catherine, it is unlikely that her sons would have remained in power."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_de'_Medici]

Catherine de Medici is referenced in the story of the Bloody Chamber when the narrator is talking about the "old nurse" being jealous and trying to bad mouth the Marquis which the narrator does not appreciate. They are talking about the ring that the Marquis had given to the narrator and the fact that it had been passed down from the likes of Catherine de Medici. She is known to have been very ruthless and controlling, possibly showing that the Marquis would have the same character.

Croesus:

"In Greek and Persian cultures the name of Croesus became a synonym for a wealthy man. Croesus' wealth remained proverbial beyond classical antiquity: in English, expressions such as "rich as Croesus" or "richer than Croesus" are used to indicate great wealth to this day."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croesus]

In the text of The Bloody Chamber, there is mention on page 5 that the Marquis is as 'rich as Croesus', this indicates that the Marquis is incredibly wealthy. This has been a saying for many years to be a common phrase used to describe a wealthy man.

 Tristan and Isolde (opera):

"Tristan und Isolde (Tristan and Isolde) is an opera in three acts by Richard Wagner. As always, Wagner wrote the words for the opera himself. He took the famous old legend which had been told by the German poet Gottfried von Strassburg.

Wagner composed the opera between 1857 and 1859. It was first performed, with Hans von Bülow conducting, in Munich on 10 June 1865. Many musicians think it is the greatest opera of the 19th century. Wagner’s dramatic handling of the story had enormous influence on many composers of the time. His harmonies were also an extremely important development in the language of Romantic music. Not everybody liked it. In particular, the music critic Eduard Hanslick said that he could not understand it.

The story of Tristan and Isolde was one of the great romances of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Several poets told the story, and each told it slightly differently. The themes of chivalry and courtly love are always there."

[source: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_und_Isolde]

In The Bloody Chamber, the narrator says that the Marquis took her and her mother to see this opera. It being a classic love story and her description that she 'must truly love him'. It shows that the Marquis is probably leading her on into believing that he is a true gentleman, or she is seeing him through rose tinted lenses. Also the woman in the opera, Isolde, dies young in it and it is seen as a tragedy. This could also foreshadow that this is what is going to happen to the young narrator.

 Felicien Rops(artist):

"Félicien Rops (1833 – 1898) was a Belgian artist and printmaker, as well as a founding member of the Société Libre des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.  He began his career whilst still a student, drawing satirical caricatures of politicians and public figures which were published in a student newspaper.  He later formed a deeply significant friendship with Charles Baudelaire, and created a frontispiece for the poet’s ‘Les Épaves’.  Rops is considered to be a Symbolist."

[source: http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-bloody-chamber/9780099588115/bookmarks.html]

The reference shows the symbolic nature of the story and how they relate to Rops work. The reference, on page 11, shows that the work of Rops was something that intrigued Carter and also because Rops etched a lot of naked and vulnerable women in dreary landscapes. It means that the narrator is also on show and vulnerable to the Marquis and what he stands for.

Huysmans’ Là-Bas(novel):

"Joris-Karl Huysmans (1848-1907) was a French writer, famous for the novel ‘À rebours’ as well as ‘Là-Bas’.  His work was considered to be quite decadent and perverse, with great attention given to sensual description and themes such as homosexuality and Satanism being given attention.  Originally interested in the Naturalist style of writing, Huysmans later became more aligned to the Symbolists; he was also inspired by his return to the Catholic church in later life."

" ‘Là-Bas’ was published in 1891, and soon became banned in some places.  The disillusioned protagonist, Durtal, researches the practice of Satanism in contemporary France, finding that it is still very much in existence.  He comes to this discovery through first reading about the life of the 15th Century murderer, Gilles de Rais, who is himself a highly significant figure for our purposes; he has long been thought to be a model for the fairy tale ‘Bluebeard’, which in turn is a clear influence of ‘The Bloody Chamber’."

[source: http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-bloody-chamber/9780099588115/bookmarks.html]

The use of this reference in The Bloody Chamber, page 11, could indicate the inspiration behind this character of the Marquis and what he is really about. The Bloody Chamber is inspired by the story of Bluebeard so the mention of this author and his novel is almost an unsubtle technique of telling us this. 

Grand Guignol:

"Established in Pigalle in 1897 - in an abandoned church, no less - it specialised in amoral, highly naturalistic horror shows.  This evolved out of some Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre, Titus Andronicus being a famous example.  Its founder was Oscar Méténier, a writer and director, who wanted to produce plays exploring the darkest themes and characters of society.  This developed into horror by the early 20th Century, largely thanks to director Max Maurey and playwright André de Lorde."

[source: http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-bloody-chamber/9780099588115/bookmarks.html]

This reference also indicates the horror that is filling the house that the Marquis lives in. The reference, page 24, shows a postcard that the Marquis sent the narrator and shows the horror of these shows that were produced in the 19th century.

Rape of the Sabines:

"The Rape of the Sabine Women is an episode in the legendary history of Rome, traditionally dated to 750 BC, in which the first generation of Roman men acquired wives for themselves from the neighboring Sabine families. The English word rape is a conventional translation of the Latin raptio, which in this context means "abduction" rather than its prevalent modern meaning in English language of sexual violation."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rape_of_the_Sabine_Women]

This reference is shown when the narrator is walking down the corridor on her way to the forbidden room. This use of this particular tapestry on the wall signifies that the Marquis may not be all that he seems and if he seems to enjoy and 'appreciate' the rape or abduction of a lot of women then that does truly show his true character and what he plans to do with the narrator. The use of this picture and reference in the corridor on the way to the forbidden room also indicates that this is something that he may have done, or at least something similar, to his previous wives. 

St Cecilia:

"Saint Cecilia is a martyred Saint who is reported to have lived in the 2nd Century AD.  The most popular account of her life holds that she was killed in Sicily during the reign of Marcus Aurelius; she is meant to have been executed for her Christian faith alongside her husband Valerian, and his brother Tiburtius.  Famous elements of her story include her instructions that her home be kept as a church, as she left to go and face her death.  Attempts by officials to execute Cecilia all subsequently failed; they attempted to decapitate her three times.  She was severely wounded, and survived for another three days before passing away.  She was said to have died singing praises to God, which is why she was later made the patron saint of musicians."

[source: http://www.bookdrum.com/books/the-bloody-chamber/9780099588115/bookmarks.html]

This reference as well also foreshadows the impending doom that seems to be following the narrator around. The fact that Saint Cecilia was nearly assassinated three times, indicates that the Marquis will stop at nothing to try and kill his wives.


Pandora’s box:

"Today the phrase "to open Pandora's box" means to perform an action that may seem small or innocent, but that turns out to have severely detrimental and far-reaching consequences."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandora's_box]

This could signify when the Narrator opened the locked room. This was the moment when she discovered the Marquis' secret and saw him for who is truly is. This was the turning point in the story and the moment she loses her innocence.


Poiret:

"Though perhaps best known for freeing women from corsets (although he did not single-handedly accomplish this revolution) and for such startling inventions as the hobble skirt, "harem" pant, and "lampshade" tunic, Poiret's major contribution to fashion was his development of the dressmaking technique known as draping, a departure from the tailoring and pattern-making of the past. Poiret was influenced by antique and regional dress, and favored clothing cut along straight lines and constructed of rectangular motifs. The structural simplicity of his clothing represented a "pivotal moment in the emergence of modernism" generally, and "effectively established the paradigm of modern fashion, irrevocably changing the direction of costume history."

[source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Poiret]

The Narrator in The Bloody Chamber is said to have worn a dress made by this fashion designer when she went to the opera. He was a very expensive designer back in the day as "The cheapest garment...was 30 guineas, double the annual salary of a scullery maid." This shows that the Marquis or the narrator herself must have bought this to show the wealth that was exuding from either the Marquis or the narrator. Either way, this dress and the mention of it shows extreme wealth.

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Five:

Researching Marquis de Sade

What books did he write?

The most famous novels that de Sade wrote were The Crimes of Love (a collection of short gothic tales) and Justine. Both of these books contain a lot of overtly sexual and almost disturbing situations that de Sade was actually interested in himself. He was imprisoned for sexual offences so therefore it shows that he wrote these stories to satisfy himself with the disturbing thoughts he was having. 

What were his views on sexual preference? 

Sade had very open minded views on sexual preference. He had been involved with sexual relationships with members of both sexes and even at some points committed blasphemy; which in those days was a very extreme offence. He was a very abusive partner to be with and his first major scandal was extremely bad. 

"Sade procured the sexual services of a woman, Rose Keller; whether she was a prostitute or not is widely disputed. He was accused of taking her to his chateau at Arcueil, imprisoning her there and sexually and physically abusing her. She escaped by climbing out of a second-floor window and running away. At this time, la Présidente, de Sade's mother-in-law, obtained a lettre de cachet (a royal order of arrest and imprisonment, without stated cause or access to the courts) from the king, excluding Sade from the jurisdiction of the courts. The lettre de cachet would later prove disastrous for the marquis."

Critical Anthology - The Bloody Chamber - Task Four:

Researching Baudelaire:

During which years was he alive?

Born: April 9, 1821 - Paris, France

Died: August 31, 1867 (aged 46) - Paris, France

Where did he live and work?

Baudelaire lived and worked in Paris, France.

How is he unlike his poetic Romantic predecessors?

He was unlike his romantic predecessors because "In his works we see the rejection of the belief in the supremacy of nature and the fundamental goodness of man as typically espoused by the romantics and expressed by them in rhetorical, effusive and public voice in favor of a new urban sensibility, an awareness of individual moral complexity, an interest in vice (linked with decadence) and refined sensual and aesthetical pleasures, and the use of urban subject matter, such as the city, the crowd, individual passers-by, all expressed in highly ordered verse, sometimes through a cynical and ironic voice."

How is he like the Romantic poets?

Even though he was heavily influenced by the Romantic poets, he was still very honest and real which did make him quite different to all of the other poets who were involved in the Romanticism movement.

What is his most famous poetry collection called and when was it published?

His most famous collection was called 'Fleurs de Mal' or 'The Flowers of Evil'. It was first published in 1857.

What are the themes of this collection which has been called both ‘putrid’ (by Habas) and ‘unyielding as marble’ (by Flaubert)?

Baudelaire included many controversial themes in his work, Fleurs de Mal, such as 'the principal themes of sex and death (considered scandalous). He also touched on lesbianism, sacred and profane love, metamorphosis, melancholy, the corruption of the city, lost innocence, the oppressiveness of living, and wine.'

Find out two more interesting facts about Baudelaire

• He was a big user of the drug laudanum - This is also what what of the poets and writers of the romantic genre were doing as well such as Wordsworth and Coleridge.
• In 1841, Baudelaire's stepfather sent him on a voyage to India, hoping that it would open his mind and redirect his energy. The use of the sea, sailing and exotic ports inspired much of Baudelaire's work.