Other Influences

Charles Baudelaire
1829-1867

Baudelaire was a french poet best known for his dandy lifestyle and controversial poetry. While living the lifestyle of a Romantic he was a critic of the movement and coined the term 'modernity' meaning the appreciation of beauty and art in the modern world.

His most famous poetry collection was the Flowers of Evil published in 1857. It's themes of sex and death were critised as being both ‘putrid’ (by Habas) and ‘unyielding as marble’ (by Flaubert).

Baudelaire was prosecuted for his poetry being an offence against public morals and fined. Although the fine was dropped it was 100 years later that the ban was lifted and he was reinstated.

"Unable to suppress love, the Church wanted to a least disinfected it, and it created marriage"

Marquis De Sale

1740-1814

The Marquis is a famous author of the books Justine, or the Misfortunes of Virtue; Juliette; The 120 Days of Sodom; and Philosophy in the Bedroom. It was through these books he presented his more liberal sexual preferences and highlighted sexual violence. It is from him that the term 'sadism' was coined and his life was strife with scandal.

Carter was influenced by him both in her critical papers by also in the Bloody Chamber where she reference some of his views through her own 'Marquis'