Beautiful eyes Quote by Charles Baudelaire
““THE CAT Come, superb cat, to my amorous heart; Hold back the talons of your paws, Let me gaze into your beautiful eyes Of metal and agate. When my fingers leisurely caress you, Your head and your elastic back, And when my hand tingles with the pleasure Of feeling your electric body, In spirit I see my woman. Her gaze Like your own, amiable beast, Profound and cold, cuts and cleaves like a dart, And, from her head down to her feet, A subtle air, a dangerous perfume Floats about her dusky body.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Les Fleurs du Mal, 1857
The speaker admires a cat’s sensual, electric presence, likening it to a woman’s alluring yet dangerous allure.
In simple terms: A cat’s beauty and power evoke both love and danger.
Key Takeaway
Appreciate the complex blend of tenderness and danger.
Themes
beauty
desire
danger
animality
femininity
Mood
intense
poetic
melancholic
Type
literary
romantic
sensual
When to use this quote
- pet companionship
- artistic inspiration
- romantic longing
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
sensuality
metaphor
dualism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does the cat symbolize both affection and threat?
- What does the electric imagery suggest about desire?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may romanticize animal cruelty or objectify women.
![“Once [a cat] has given its love, what absolute confidence, what fidelity of affection! It will make itself the companion of your hours of work, of loneliness, or of sadness. It will lie the whole evening on your knee, purring and happy in your society, and leaving the company of creatures of its…” quote by Théophile Gautier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/44c/theophile-gautier-7224_business_once-a-cat-has-given-its-love-what-absol_3056748.jpg)
