Against the Grain · Character
Paul Verlaine
Decadent poet whose work is analyzed by Des Esseintes as a master of linguistic artifice.
minor
Also known as Verlaine, Paul Verlaine
First appearance: x
Paul Verlaine shows up with force in XVI. The page is where that presence becomes real.
Mentioned alongside Mallarmé as an artist whose subtlety Des Esseintes cherishes but finds no kindred soul to share.
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Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Eclectic cultural references
- Decadent and morbid influences
- Protagonist
- Catholic and mystical authors
+3 more in the full Character Web
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Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
The emotional and psychological peak occurs in the narrator's horrifying self-confrontation in the mirror, whe…
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Paul Verlaine appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
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See Paul Verlaine in x