Tracing the Flâneur: The Intertextual Origins of an Emblematic Figure of Modernity
This article presents an intertextual analysis of the origins of the flâneur, tracing his literary evolution from early nineteenth-century attestations to Baudelaire’s Le Peintre de la vie moderne (1863). From the outset, this figure has embodied ambivalence and complexity, shaped by textual and cul...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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De Gruyter
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Open Cultural Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/culture-2025-0055 |
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| Summary: | This article presents an intertextual analysis of the origins of the flâneur, tracing his literary evolution from early nineteenth-century attestations to Baudelaire’s Le Peintre de la vie moderne (1863). From the outset, this figure has embodied ambivalence and complexity, shaped by textual and cultural interactions. Through a philological approach, this study explores the historical transformations of the flâneur, focusing on four defining aspects: (1) his emergence alongside the industrial metropolis; (2) his evolution into the figure of the detective; (3) the dissolution of the self into the crowd; and (4) a new aesthetic that celebrates the fleeting, ephemeral beauty of modernity. A crucial moment in this analysis is the dialogue between French “panoramic literature” and Anglophone urban narratives, particularly Baudelaire’s translation of Poe’s The Man of the Crowd (Nouvelles histoires extraordinaires, 1857). This engagement reshaped the flâneur’s identity, evolving from a privileged observer of modernity to an increasingly critical figure attuned to its contradictions and darker facets. Rather than a static archetype, the flâneur remains fluid and evolving, ensuring his persistence in modern critical discourse. This study underscores his role not only as an interpreter of modernity but also as a creator of meaning, shaping urban experience and artistic representation. |
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| ISSN: | 2451-3474 |