Baudelaire Quote by Charles Baudelaire
““Be Drunken, Always. That is the point; nothing else matters. If you would not feel the horrible burden of Time weigh you down and crush you to the earth, be drunken continually. Drunken with what? With wine, with poetry or with virtue, as you please. But be drunken. And if sometimes, on the steps of a palace, or on the green grass in a ditch, or in the dreary solitude of your own room, you should awaken and find the drunkenness half or entirely gone, ask of the wind, of the wave, of the star, of the bird, of the clock, of all that flies, of all that speaks, ask what hour it is; and wind, wave, star, bird, or clock will answer you: "It is the hour to be drunken! Be Drunken, if you would not be the martyred slaves of Time; be drunken continually! With wine, with poetry or with virtue, as you please.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The Albatross” (excerpt) by Charles Baudelaire, 1857
Advocates constant immersion in art, pleasure, or virtue to escape time’s oppressive weight.
In simple terms: Live fully in art or joy to defy time.
Key Takeaway
Seek continual ecstatic engagement.
Themes
escape
art
time
existence
Mood
introspective
defiant
Type
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- creative work
- personal rituals
- mindful breaks
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
existentialism
hedonism
nihilism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “drunkenness” mean to you?
- How can you balance immersion with duty?
A Different Perspective
May lead to neglect of responsibilities or reality.
