Les Poètes Maudits

A critical essay by the poet Paul Verlaine which first appeared in 1883 in the literary journal Lutèce, then in volume in 1884 and in an expanded version in 1988. The first versions include only three accursed poets: Tristan Corbière, Arthur Rimbaud and Stéphane Mallarme. Marceline Desbordes-Valmore, Auguste de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam and Pauvre Lélian (Verlaine) appear next.

As a well-known writer, his work has an important impact in literary history since he highlights authors who are still unknown. Les Poètes maudits is also a tribute to French Parnassus and to what became the “decadentism” of the end of the 19th century.