El hombre de la multitud and El pintor de la vida moderna: the influence of Edgar Allen Poe in the construction of Baudelaire's concept of modernity

Authors

  • Francisco Pizarro Obaid Universidad Diego Portales

Abstract

The 19th century gave rise to new forms of metropolitan subjectivity with an exceptional treatment in Edgar Allan Poe's tale "The Man of the Crowd". The relevance of this short story into his work is undeniable, as well as its contribution to the development of the narrative genre. However, Poe's story can be considered as a source of considerable infl uence in the redefi nition of the concept of modernity, that Baudelaire will express in his work "The Painter of Modern Life". In examining the anonymous character of "The Man of the Crowd" and the singularity of Mr. G, the painter who gives substance to the criticism of the pictorial tradition  of customs, it grows evident how Baudelaire's main arguments on art and the new ways of life in the modern city fi nd in Poe's short story a significant source of inspiration.

Keywords:

Poe, Baudelaire, crowd, art, modernity