Sensuality

The word "sensual" refers to works that evoke the five senses in order to make their audience feel the experience that is being described, as Baudelaire does in "Hymn to Beauty." While the narrow sense of the word "sensuality" only implies a reference to the senses, there is also a common association of the word with sexuality. In this poem, Baudelaire uses physical images to give an erotic allure to Beauty, whom he has presented as a particular person. The poem is particularly focused on the mystery and attraction of the eyes. Beauty is said early on to have eyes in which "suns flare and sunsets burn," in stanza 6 she is said to have "smiling eyes," while in stanza 7 he calls her "my dark-eyed queen."

The poem also mentions things such as fragrance, dancing, and jewels, which are all associated with sexual attraction. Overall, the image of Beauty...