La critique ou la vie Baudelaire essayiste

Baudelaire’s paradoxical essay-writing practice is like a game of fencing in which the writer is both victim and executioner : when one attacks, in the name of life, the other disguises himself in defence. In this particular case, the chosen adversary is Théophile Gautier. By playing a game with his fellow man and brother, Baudelaire draws his “lethal portrait”.