Poem Analysis - The One Possessed

Introduction: Embracing Darkness and Devotion

Charles Baudelaire's "The One Possessed" is a passionate and unsettling declaration of love, not for a conventional ideal, but for a figure steeped in darkness and unpredictability. The poem plunges into a world of ennui, madness, and a perverse adoration. The tone is a blend of reverence and reckless abandon, shifting from a somber acceptance of darkness to an enthusiastic embrace of destructive tendencies. This poem is not about conventional love; it's about finding beauty and excitement in the unconventional and the potentially dangerous.

Themes: Unconventional Love and the Allure of Decay

One of the central themes of the poem is unconventional love. The speaker does not desire a conventional partner, but someone who embodies darkness, moodiness, and even madness. The opening lines set the stage by mirroring the 'moon of my life' with a sun in 'crape' (mourning cloth), immediately establishing a love for shadow and melancholy. This love extends to embracing the beloved's freedom to indulge in 'Madness,' suggesting a fascination with the unpredictable and potentially destructive aspects of their personality.

Another significant theme is the allure of decay and the embrace of the 'morbid' and 'petulant.' The speaker finds pleasure in the unconventional traits of their beloved, whether it is a 'black night' or a 'red dawn.' This suggests a desire to find beauty in the unconventional and even the disturbing. The speaker enjoys the danger in the madness they admire in this dark figure.

Finally, there is a theme of submission and adoration to a darker power. The final two lines of the poem, "There is no fiber in my whole trembling body/That does not cry: 'Dear Beelzebub, I adore you!'" reveals a devotion to a figure associated with evil. This isn't just about loving someone flawed; it's about worshipping the flaw itself, finding the divine in the diabolical. This final declaration solidifies the poem's theme of finding beauty and a higher calling in the most sinister.

Imagery and Symbolism: Light and Dark, Daggers and Demons

The poem is rich in vivid imagery, contrasting light and darkness. The 'sun covered with a crape' and the 'eclipsed star' symbolize a world shrouded in shadow, reflecting the speaker's preference for melancholy and the unconventional. The 'Moon of my life' is told to 'swathe yourself with darkness,' suggesting that beauty lies in darkness, not in light. The sharp and sudden image of the dagger symbolizes both danger and beauty. Its emergence suggests a release of pent-up energy and a willingness to embrace destructive impulses. It is the beauty in the danger that enchants the speaker of the poem.

Deeper Meaning: Questioning Conventional Values

The poem questions the notion of conventional beauty and values. By embracing darkness and even demonic figures, the speaker challenges societal expectations and suggests that there is beauty and power to be found in the unconventional and the forbidden. One might ask: is this adoration genuine, or is it a form of rebellion against a world that the speaker finds stifling and meaningless? This ambiguity contributes to the poem's lasting power and its ability to provoke thought about the nature of love, beauty, and the allure of the forbidden.

Conclusion: A Hymn to the Unconventional

"The One Possessed" is a powerful and unsettling poem that celebrates the unconventional and the potentially destructive aspects of love. It is a hymn to darkness, a defiant embrace of the morbid, and a questioning of societal values. The poem's enduring appeal lies in its exploration of these dark themes and in its passionate, albeit unsettling, declaration of love for a figure steeped in shadow and complexity. It leaves the reader pondering the nature of beauty and value, and the true depth of human desire.