
The Flowers of Evil which T S Eliot called the greatest example of modern poetry in any language shocked the literary world of nineteenth century France with its outspoken portrayal of lesbian love its linking sexuality & death its unremitting irony & its unflinching celebration of the seamy side of urban life The volume was seized by the police & Baudelaire & his published were put on trial for offence to public decency Six offending poems were banned in a conviction that was not overturned until 1949 This bold new translation which restores the banned poems to their original places & reveals the full richness & variety of the collection makes available to English speakers a powerful & original version of the world Jonathan Culler's Introduction outlines this vision stressing that Baudelaire is more than just the poet of the modern city Originally to be called ' The Lesbians' The Flowers of Evil contains the most extraordinary body of love poetry The poems also pose the question of the role of evil in our lives of whether there are not external forces working to frustrate human plans & to enlist men & women on appalling or stultifying scenarios not of their own making ABOUT THE SERIES For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities helpful notes to clarify the text up-to-date bibliographies for further study & much more