'The Reinvention of Time and Space in Rimbaud's Illuminations'

Gerald Macklin

'The Reinvention of Time and Space in Rimbaud's Illuminations'

Gerald Macklin

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper looks at how Rimbaud adopts radical new positions in relation to time and space in the Illuminations. He wishes to escape the dictatorship of the clock and familiar geographical boundaries and develops a technique of spatio-temporal synthesis across many of the prose poms. So we find temporal elasticity and spatial universality and the compendium of figures in 'Parade' and the great inventories of the 'Villes' poems illustrate these features handsomely. Time becomes protean and Rimbaud moves easily across spatial and temporal boundaries in a great unfiying and synthesizing vision. His is a universal intelligence stretching beyongd familair castegories and boundarie sand this is nowhere better seen than in the formulae of 'Génie' and the widespread use of "tous" and "toutes" across the illuminations. A text such as 'Promontoire' shows geographical sysnthesis at work every bit as powerfully as 'Génie' illustratres temporal synthesis. The spectacular finales evoking elemental ferment are linked to this urge to transcend recognizable time and space and the poet's regular use of oxymora and the reconciliation of opposites both relate to his definition of a new type of modernity.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	60-75
Journal	Nottingham French Studies
Volume	35
Issue number	2
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 1996

Bibliographical note

Reference text: Rimbaud Oeuvres, ed.S.Bernard and A.Guyaux, Classiques Garnier, Paris, 1987

G.Macklin 'A Study of Beginnings and Finales in Arthur Rimbaud's Illuminations', NEOPHILOLOGUS, 68, 1984, pp.22-36

D.Scott 'Rimbaud and Boucher: 'Fête d'hiver'', JOURNAL OF EUROPEAN STUDIES, IX, 1979, pp. 185-195

F.Musso Rimbaud, Collection Les Géants, Editions Pierre Charron, Paris, 1972

R.Little Rimbaud illuminations, Critical Guides to French Texts, no.29, Grant and Cutler, London, 1983

P.Lapeyre Le Vertige de Rimbaud, Clé d'une perception poétique, Editions de la Baconnière, Neuchâtel, 1981

Baudelaire Oeuvres complètes, vol.I, texte établi, présenté et annoté par Claude Pichois, Gallimard, Bibliothèque de la Pléiade, 1976

J-P Richard Poésie et profondeur, Seuil, Paris, 1995

Arthur Rimbaud, Illuminations, edited by Nick Osmond, The Athlone Press, London, 1976

J.Price 'Rimbaud: le seuil qui chancelle', REVUE DE LETTRES MODERNES, Arthur Rimbaud(2), hommage anglo-saxon, Paris,1973, pp.93-105

C.A.Hackett Rimbaud l'enfant, Corti, Paris, 1947

Y.Bonnefoy Rimbaud, Editions du Seuil, Ecrivains de toujours, Paris, 1961

J.P.Houston The Design of Rimbaud's Poetry, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 1963

N.Wing Present Appearances: Aspects of Poetic Structure in Rimbaud's illuminations, Romance Monographs Inc., University, Mississippi, 1974

Pascal, Oeuvres complètes, Seuil, Paris, 1963

M.Davies Une Saison en enfer d'Arthur Rimbaud, analyse du texte, Archives des Lettres Modernes, Paris, 1975

Keywords

time
space
synthesis

Cite this

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title = "'The Reinvention of Time and Space in Rimbaud's Illuminations'",

abstract = "This paper looks at how Rimbaud adopts radical new positions in relation to time and space in the Illuminations. He wishes to escape the dictatorship of the clock and familiar geographical boundaries and develops a technique of spatio-temporal synthesis across many of the prose poms. So we find temporal elasticity and spatial universality and the compendium of figures in 'Parade' and the great inventories of the 'Villes' poems illustrate these features handsomely. Time becomes protean and Rimbaud moves easily across spatial and temporal boundaries in a great unfiying and synthesizing vision. His is a universal intelligence stretching beyongd familair castegories and boundarie sand this is nowhere better seen than in the formulae of 'G{\'e}nie' and the widespread use of {"}tous{"} and {"}toutes{"} across the illuminations. A text such as 'Promontoire' shows geographical sysnthesis at work every bit as powerfully as 'G{\'e}nie' illustratres temporal synthesis. The spectacular finales evoking elemental ferment are linked to this urge to transcend recognizable time and space and the poet's regular use of oxymora and the reconciliation of opposites both relate to his definition of a new type of modernity.",

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author = "Gerald Macklin",

note = "Reference text: Rimbaud Oeuvres, ed.S.Bernard and A.Guyaux, Classiques Garnier, Paris, 1987 G.Macklin 'A Study of Beginnings and Finales in Arthur Rimbaud's Illuminations', NEOPHILOLOGUS, 68, 1984, pp.22-36 D.Scott 'Rimbaud and Boucher: 'F{\^e}te d'hiver'', JOURNAL OF EUROPEAN STUDIES, IX, 1979, pp. 185-195 F.Musso Rimbaud, Collection Les G{\'e}ants, Editions Pierre Charron, Paris, 1972 R.Little Rimbaud illuminations, Critical Guides to French Texts, no.29, Grant and Cutler, London, 1983 P.Lapeyre Le Vertige de Rimbaud, Cl{\'e} d'une perception po{\'e}tique, Editions de la Baconni{\`e}re, Neuch{\^a}tel, 1981 Baudelaire Oeuvres compl{\`e}tes, vol.I, texte {\'e}tabli, pr{\'e}sent{\'e} et annot{\'e} par Claude Pichois, Gallimard, Biblioth{\`e}que de la Pl{\'e}iade, 1976 J-P Richard Po{\'e}sie et profondeur, Seuil, Paris, 1995 Arthur Rimbaud, Illuminations, edited by Nick Osmond, The Athlone Press, London, 1976 J.Price 'Rimbaud: le seuil qui chancelle', REVUE DE LETTRES MODERNES, Arthur Rimbaud(2), hommage anglo-saxon, Paris,1973, pp.93-105 C.A.Hackett Rimbaud l'enfant, Corti, Paris, 1947 Y.Bonnefoy Rimbaud, Editions du Seuil, Ecrivains de toujours, Paris, 1961 J.P.Houston The Design of Rimbaud's Poetry, Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 1963 N.Wing Present Appearances: Aspects of Poetic Structure in Rimbaud's illuminations, Romance Monographs Inc., University, Mississippi, 1974 Pascal, Oeuvres compl{\`e}tes, Seuil, Paris, 1963 M.Davies Une Saison en enfer d'Arthur Rimbaud, analyse du texte, Archives des Lettres Modernes, Paris, 1975",

year = "1996",

language = "English",

volume = "35",

pages = "60--75",

journal = "Nottingham French Studies",

issn = "2047-7236",

publisher = "Edinburgh University Press",

number = "2",

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PY - 1996

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N2 - This paper looks at how Rimbaud adopts radical new positions in relation to time and space in the Illuminations. He wishes to escape the dictatorship of the clock and familiar geographical boundaries and develops a technique of spatio-temporal synthesis across many of the prose poms. So we find temporal elasticity and spatial universality and the compendium of figures in 'Parade' and the great inventories of the 'Villes' poems illustrate these features handsomely. Time becomes protean and Rimbaud moves easily across spatial and temporal boundaries in a great unfiying and synthesizing vision. His is a universal intelligence stretching beyongd familair castegories and boundarie sand this is nowhere better seen than in the formulae of 'Génie' and the widespread use of "tous" and "toutes" across the illuminations. A text such as 'Promontoire' shows geographical sysnthesis at work every bit as powerfully as 'Génie' illustratres temporal synthesis. The spectacular finales evoking elemental ferment are linked to this urge to transcend recognizable time and space and the poet's regular use of oxymora and the reconciliation of opposites both relate to his definition of a new type of modernity.

AB - This paper looks at how Rimbaud adopts radical new positions in relation to time and space in the Illuminations. He wishes to escape the dictatorship of the clock and familiar geographical boundaries and develops a technique of spatio-temporal synthesis across many of the prose poms. So we find temporal elasticity and spatial universality and the compendium of figures in 'Parade' and the great inventories of the 'Villes' poems illustrate these features handsomely. Time becomes protean and Rimbaud moves easily across spatial and temporal boundaries in a great unfiying and synthesizing vision. His is a universal intelligence stretching beyongd familair castegories and boundarie sand this is nowhere better seen than in the formulae of 'Génie' and the widespread use of "tous" and "toutes" across the illuminations. A text such as 'Promontoire' shows geographical sysnthesis at work every bit as powerfully as 'Génie' illustratres temporal synthesis. The spectacular finales evoking elemental ferment are linked to this urge to transcend recognizable time and space and the poet's regular use of oxymora and the reconciliation of opposites both relate to his definition of a new type of modernity.

KW - time

KW - space

KW - synthesis

M3 - Article

SN - 2047-7236

VL - 35

SP - 60

EP - 75

JO - Nottingham French Studies

JF - Nottingham French Studies

IS - 2

ER -

'The Reinvention of Time and Space in Rimbaud's Illuminations'

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Cite this