{"work":{"slug":"baudelaire","title":{"source":"Les Fleurs du mal","translated":"The Flowers of Evil"},"author":"Charles Baudelaire","language":"French","languageCode":"fr","url":"https://1732studios.com/books/baudelaire"},"unit":{"kind":"poem","number":null,"id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur","title":{"source":"Alchimie de la douleur","translated":"Alchemy of Sorrow"},"section":"Spleen and Ideal","summary":null,"url":"https://1732studios.com/books/baudelaire/alchimie-de-la-douleur","lines":14},"previous":"https://1732studios.com/books/baudelaire/le-gout-du-neant","next":"https://1732studios.com/books/baudelaire/horreur-sympathique","license":"Source text: public domain (Charles Baudelaire, d. 1867). English translation: © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC — original draft, pending editorial review.","audioBase":null,"lines":[{"number":1,"label":"1","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s1-l1","source":"L'un t'éclaire avec son ardeur,","translation":"One man lights you with his ardor,","stanza":1,"audio":null,"notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"L'un … l'autre","title":"L'un … l'autre","body":"«l'un … l'autre» is the correlative pair 'one … the other'. Here «l'un» (this stanza) and «l'autre» (next line) set two kinds of person against each other; the «t'» / «toi» they both address is «Nature», named at the end of line 2."}],"words":[{"surface":"L'","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, singular","role":"determiner of un","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"un","lemma":"un","morphology":"pronoun, masculine, singular","role":"subject of éclaire","gloss":"one"},{"surface":"t'","lemma":"te","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"direct object of éclaire","gloss":"you"},{"surface":"éclaire","lemma":"éclairer","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"lights"},{"surface":"avec","lemma":"avec","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking ardeur","gloss":"with"},{"surface":"son","lemma":"son","morphology":"determiner, singular","role":"determiner of ardeur","gloss":"his"},{"surface":"ardeur","lemma":"ardeur","morphology":"noun, feminine, singular","role":"oblique argument of éclaire","gloss":"ardor"}]},{"number":2,"label":"2","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s1-l2","source":"L'autre en toi met son deuil, Nature!","translation":"The other lays his mourning in you, Nature!","audio":null,"notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"deuil","title":"deuil (m.)","body":"«deuil» = mourning, grief, bereavement — the black of loss. «mettre son deuil en…» here means to pour one's mourning into something: the second man projects his grief onto Nature herself."}],"words":[{"surface":"L'","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, singular","role":"determiner of autre","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"autre","lemma":"autre","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"subject of met","gloss":"other"},{"surface":"en","lemma":"en","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking toi","gloss":"in"},{"surface":"toi","lemma":"toi","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"oblique argument of met (object of en)","gloss":"you"},{"surface":"met","lemma":"mettre","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"lays"},{"surface":"son","lemma":"son","morphology":"determiner, singular","role":"determiner of deuil","gloss":"his"},{"surface":"deuil","lemma":"deuil","morphology":"noun, masculine, singular","role":"direct object of met","gloss":"mourning"},{"surface":"Nature","lemma":"nature","morphology":"noun, feminine, singular","role":"vocative address","gloss":"Nature"}]},{"number":3,"label":"3","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s1-l3","source":"Ce qui dit à l'un: Sépulture!","translation":"What says to the one: Sepulcher!","audio":null,"notes":[],"words":[{"surface":"Ce","lemma":"ce","morphology":"pronoun","role":"part of the relative phrase ce qui (that which), subject of dit","gloss":"that"},{"surface":"qui","lemma":"qui","morphology":"pronoun","role":"subject of dit","gloss":"which"},{"surface":"dit","lemma":"dire","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"relative clause on Ce","gloss":"says"},{"surface":"à","lemma":"à","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking un","gloss":"to"},{"surface":"l'","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, singular","role":"determiner of un","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"un","lemma":"un","morphology":"pronoun, masculine, singular","role":"oblique argument of dit","gloss":"one"},{"surface":"Sépulture","lemma":"sépulture","morphology":"noun, feminine, singular","role":"direct object of dit (exclamation)","gloss":"Sepulcher"}]},{"number":4,"label":"4","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s1-l4","source":"Dit à l'autre: Vie et splendeur!","translation":"Says to the other: Life and splendor!","audio":null,"notes":[],"words":[{"surface":"Dit","lemma":"dire","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence (subject: Ce qui, previous line)","gloss":"says"},{"surface":"à","lemma":"à","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking autre","gloss":"to"},{"surface":"l'","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, singular","role":"determiner of autre","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"autre","lemma":"autre","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"oblique argument of Dit (indirect object)","gloss":"other"},{"surface":"Vie","lemma":"vie","morphology":"noun, feminine, singular","role":"direct object of Dit (exclamation)","gloss":"Life"},{"surface":"et","lemma":"et","morphology":"conjunction","role":"links the coordination","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"splendeur","lemma":"splendeur","morphology":"noun, feminine, singular","role":"coordinated with Vie","gloss":"splendor"}]},{"number":5,"label":"5","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s2-l1","source":"Hermès inconnu qui m'assistes","translation":"Unknown Hermes who assist me","stanza":2,"audio":null,"notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"Hermès inconnu","title":"Hermès (Hermes Trismegistus)","body":"Beyond the Greek messenger-god, «Hermès» evokes Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary father of alchemy (hence 'hermetic'). «inconnu» = unknown; the poet calls on a hidden, hermetic power that secretly governs his transformations."}],"words":[{"surface":"Hermès","lemma":"Hermès","morphology":"proper noun","role":"head of the phrase","gloss":"Hermes"},{"surface":"inconnu","lemma":"inconnu","morphology":"adjective, masculine, singular","role":"modifies Hermès","gloss":"unknown"},{"surface":"qui","lemma":"qui","morphology":"pronoun","role":"subject of assistes","gloss":"who"},{"surface":"m'","lemma":"me","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"direct object of assistes","gloss":"me"},{"surface":"assistes","lemma":"assister","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, second-person, singular","role":"relative clause on Hermès","gloss":"assist"}]},{"number":6,"label":"6","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s2-l2","source":"Et qui toujours m'intimidas,","translation":"And who always cowed me,","audio":null,"notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"m'intimidas","title":"Passé simple, 2nd person","body":"«intimidas» is the «passé simple» (tu form) of «intimider», 'to intimidate / overawe'. This literary past tense is rare in speech; «toujours … intimidas» pairs it with «toujours» to give the awe a timeless, fated weight."}],"words":[{"surface":"Et","lemma":"et","morphology":"conjunction","role":"links the coordination","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"qui","lemma":"qui","morphology":"pronoun","role":"subject of intimidas","gloss":"who"},{"surface":"toujours","lemma":"toujours","morphology":"adverb","role":"modifies intimidas","gloss":"always"},{"surface":"m'","lemma":"me","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"direct object of intimidas","gloss":"me"},{"surface":"intimidas","lemma":"intimider","morphology":"verb, simple past, second-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence, coordinated with assistes","gloss":"cowed"}]},{"number":7,"label":"7","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s2-l3","source":"Tu me rends l'égal de Midas,","translation":"You make me the equal of Midas,","audio":null,"notes":[],"words":[{"surface":"Tu","lemma":"tu","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"subject of rends","gloss":"you"},{"surface":"me","lemma":"me","morphology":"pronoun, singular, reflexive","role":"direct object of rends","gloss":"me"},{"surface":"rends","lemma":"rendre","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, second-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"make"},{"surface":"l'","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, singular","role":"determiner of égal","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"égal","lemma":"égal","morphology":"noun, masculine, singular","role":"predicate complement of rends (describes me)","gloss":"equal"},{"surface":"de","lemma":"de","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking Midas","gloss":"of"},{"surface":"Midas","lemma":"Midas","morphology":"proper noun","role":"modifies égal","gloss":"Midas"}]},{"number":8,"label":"8","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s2-l4","source":"Le plus triste des alchimistes;","translation":"The saddest of alchemists;","audio":null,"notes":[],"words":[{"surface":"Le","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, masculine, singular","role":"determiner of triste","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"plus","lemma":"plus","morphology":"adverb","role":"modifies triste","gloss":"most"},{"surface":"triste","lemma":"triste","morphology":"adjective, singular","role":"head of the phrase, superlative predicate","gloss":"sad"},{"surface":"des","lemma":"de","morphology":"preposition","role":"determiner of alchimistes","gloss":"of the"},{"surface":"alchimistes","lemma":"alchimiste","morphology":"noun, plural","role":"oblique complement of triste (partitive)","gloss":"alchemists"}]},{"number":9,"label":"9","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s3-l1","source":"Par toi je change l'or en fer","translation":"Through you I change gold into iron","stanza":3,"audio":null,"notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"changer … en","title":"changer X en Y","body":"«changer A en B» = 'to change A into B'. The construction inverts the alchemist's dream: instead of base metal into gold, «l'or en fer» (gold into iron) and «le paradis en enfer» (paradise into hell)."}],"words":[{"surface":"Par","lemma":"par","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking toi","gloss":"through"},{"surface":"toi","lemma":"toi","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"depends on change","gloss":"you"},{"surface":"je","lemma":"je","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"subject of change","gloss":"I"},{"surface":"change","lemma":"changer","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, first-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"change"},{"surface":"l'","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, singular","role":"determiner of or","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"or","lemma":"or","morphology":"noun, masculine, singular","role":"direct object of change","gloss":"gold"},{"surface":"en","lemma":"en","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking fer","gloss":"into"},{"surface":"fer","lemma":"fer","morphology":"noun, masculine, singular","role":"oblique argument of change","gloss":"iron"}]},{"number":10,"label":"10","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s3-l2","source":"Et le paradis en enfer;","translation":"And paradise into hell;","audio":null,"notes":[],"words":[{"surface":"Et","lemma":"et","morphology":"conjunction","role":"links the coordination","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"le","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, masculine, singular","role":"determiner of paradis","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"paradis","lemma":"paradis","morphology":"noun, masculine, singular","role":"direct object of change (elided verb, continues previous line)","gloss":"paradise"},{"surface":"en","lemma":"en","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking enfer","gloss":"into"},{"surface":"enfer","lemma":"enfer","morphology":"noun, masculine, singular","role":"oblique argument of change (elided verb)","gloss":"hell"}]},{"number":11,"label":"11","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s3-l3","source":"Dans le suaire des nuages","translation":"In the shroud of the clouds","audio":null,"notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"suaire","title":"suaire (m.)","body":"«suaire» = a shroud, the cloth wrapping a corpse (as in the Shroud of Turin). Calling the clouds a «suaire» turns the open sky into a winding-sheet — and the line runs on, without a stop, into the next stanza."}],"words":[{"surface":"Dans","lemma":"dans","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking suaire","gloss":"in"},{"surface":"le","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, masculine, singular","role":"determiner of suaire","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"suaire","lemma":"suaire","morphology":"noun, masculine, singular","role":"head of the phrase","gloss":"shroud"},{"surface":"des","lemma":"de","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking nuages","gloss":"of the"},{"surface":"nuages","lemma":"nuage","morphology":"noun, masculine, plural","role":"modifies suaire","gloss":"clouds"}]},{"number":12,"label":"12","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s4-l1","source":"Je découvre un cadavre cher,","translation":"I discover a beloved corpse,","stanza":4,"audio":null,"notes":[],"words":[{"surface":"Je","lemma":"je","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"subject of découvre","gloss":"I"},{"surface":"découvre","lemma":"découvrir","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"discover"},{"surface":"un","lemma":"un","morphology":"determiner, masculine, singular","role":"determiner of cadavre","gloss":"a"},{"surface":"cadavre","lemma":"cadavre","morphology":"noun, masculine, singular","role":"direct object of découvre","gloss":"corpse"},{"surface":"cher","lemma":"cher","morphology":"adjective, masculine, singular","role":"modifies cadavre","gloss":"beloved"}]},{"number":13,"label":"13","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s4-l2","source":"Et sur les célestes rivages","translation":"And on the celestial shores","audio":null,"notes":[],"words":[{"surface":"Et","lemma":"et","morphology":"conjunction","role":"links the coordination","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"sur","lemma":"sur","morphology":"preposition","role":"preposition marking rivages","gloss":"on"},{"surface":"les","lemma":"le","morphology":"determiner, plural","role":"determiner of rivages","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"célestes","lemma":"céleste","morphology":"adjective, plural","role":"modifies rivages","gloss":"celestial"},{"surface":"rivages","lemma":"rivage","morphology":"noun, masculine, plural","role":"oblique argument of bâtis (next line)","gloss":"shores"}]},{"number":14,"label":"14","id":"alchimie-de-la-douleur-s4-l3","source":"Je bâtis de grands sarcophages.","translation":"I build great sarcophagi.","audio":null,"notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"Je bâtis","title":"bâtir","body":"«bâtir» = to build, to erect (a building). «Je bâtis» can be present or «passé simple» (identical in form); read as present, it leaves the poet endlessly raising «sarcophages» — stone coffins — in the sky."}],"words":[{"surface":"Je","lemma":"je","morphology":"pronoun, singular","role":"subject of bâtis","gloss":"I"},{"surface":"bâtis","lemma":"bâtir","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, first-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"build"},{"surface":"de","lemma":"de","morphology":"preposition","role":"partitive determiner marking sarcophages","gloss":"some"},{"surface":"grands","lemma":"grand","morphology":"adjective, masculine, plural","role":"modifies sarcophages","gloss":"great"},{"surface":"sarcophages","lemma":"sarcophage","morphology":"noun, masculine, plural","role":"direct object of bâtis","gloss":"sarcophagi"}]}]}