Hothouses

Published in 1889, this collection of 33 poems marked the beginning of Maurice Maeterlinck's literary journey, despite his struggling legal career. Often overshadowed by his later plays that earned him a Nobel Prize, "Serres chaudes" is recognized as a cornerstone of literary Modernism, following Baudelaire. The work was noted for its vivid imagery, reflecting social discontent, and was later praised for introducing the complexities of the subconscious into literature, as highlighted by Antonin Artaud.